US President Joe Biden outlined his foreign policy contours during his first visit to the State Department on Thursday. He insisted that the United States must rebuild its old alliances, shaken by the Trump administration’s four years, and resume its leadership in the international diplomatic arena.
“America is back. Diplomacy is back,” Biden said, addressing the State Department staff. He championed the classic values of American diplomacy – promoting democracy and human rights – values that, according to the current president, have been abandoned by Donald Trump.
Tensions with Russia continue, Russian opponent Alexei Navalny is arrested, rivalry with China and the recent military coup in Myanmar All are priorities on the Biden administration’s foreign policy agenda.
“I made it clear to President Putin, completely differently from my predecessor, that the days when the United States endured Russia’s aggressive actions – interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, or poisoning its citizens – are over.” “We will not hesitate to increase the costs to Russia,” Biden said, “if he continues with this strategy.”
President Biden said America must “face the advancement of authoritarianism, especially China’s increasing ambitions and Russia’s desire to weaken our democracy.”
However, the new president did not talk about the concrete actions his National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had promised to “hold Moscow accountable” and said almost nothing about the strategy toward China, the country that is unanimously considered the United States’ primary strategic opponent. .
In terms of traditional alliances, Biden highlighted efforts to rebuild relationships with allies such as Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and members of the European Union.
President Biden announced a freeze on the withdrawal of US forces from Germany, as well as an end to US support for offensive action in Yemen.
At the same time, Biden will also sign an executive order to return the 125,000 refugees who could be accepted during the administration’s first fiscal year.
