Joe Biden to highlight stronger US alliances in farewell foreign policy speech

Biden’s address at the State Department on Monday, one week before he leaves the White House, is expected to highlight his efforts to boost the NATO alliance and to support Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

He will also focus on efforts to broaden US alliances in the Asia-Pacific region to challenge an increasingly dominant China, and to combat climate change.

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“When President Biden entered office, our alliances had been badly damaged,” a senior Biden administration official said on condition of anonymity.

“During his remarks, President Biden will outline how our alliances and partnerships are the strongest they’ve ever been thanks to our work.”

The official said Biden would also highlight how he “stood with Israel when they’ve been attacked” but made no mention of any progress towards a peace deal in Gaza.

Democrat Biden, 82, is also set to give a wider farewell address in his final days in power before Trump’s comeback to the White House on January 20, US media reports said.

Trump has already promised a return to the provocative foreign policy that marked his first term.

The billionaire Republican has talked in recent weeks about meeting the leaders of US adversaries Russia and China, while pledging to end the war in Ukraine by any means necessary.

Also read: Macron urges Ukraine to have ‘realistic expectations’ in conflict with Russia

At the same time, he has browbeaten some of Washington’s closest allies, threatening to withdraw support for NATO if other members do not pay more, and making territorial threats against Greenland and Panama.