Biden says he’ll re-engage with Europe

VOWS TO EARN TRUST

• U.S. President Joe biden on Friday drew a sharp contrast with the foreign policy of his predecessor, donald Trump, and urged democracies to work together to challenge abuses by autocratic states such as China and russia.

In his first big appearance as president on the global stage, an online “virtual visit” to europe, biden sought to re-establish the united States as a multilateral team player after four years of divisive “America First” policies.

Speaking to the Munich Security Conference, biden drew a stark contrast with the more transactional foreign policy of Trump, who angered allies by breaking off global accords and threatening to end defence assistance unless they toed his line.

“I know the past few years have strained and tested our transatlantic relationship, but the united States is determined — determined — to re-engage with europe, to consult with you, to earn back our position of trusted leadership,” he said.

The message of collaboration echoed his message during a private video conference earlier on Friday with the leaders of the Group of Seven advanced economies, britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, a senior administration official said.

u.s. partnerships had endured and grown through the years because they were “rooted in the richness of our shared democratic values,” biden said. “They’re not transactional. They’re not extractive. They’re built on a vision of the future where every voice matters.”

He said u.s. allies must stand firm against the challenges posed by China, Iran and russia.

“The Kremlin attacks our democracies and weaponizes corruption to try to undermine our system of governance,” he said. “(russian President Vladimir) Putin seeks to weaken the european project and our NATO alliance. He wants to undermine our transatlantic unity and our resolve,” biden said.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any such action.

biden stressed what he called America’s “unshakable” commitment to the 30-member NATO alliance, marking another switch from Trump, who suggested Washington could withdraw.

biden offered a $4-billion pledge of support for global COVID vaccination efforts, the re-entry of the u.s. into the Paris climate accord and the prospect of $2-trillion to bolster the u.s. and global economies.