Outgoing President Joe Biden sought to burnish his foreign policy record on Monday, saying U.S. adversaries are weaker than when he took office four years ago despite ongoing global crises.
Biden addressed U.S. diplomats at the State Department and highlighted the administration’s support for Ukraine against Russia’s 2022 invasion and for Israel’s wars in the Middle East. He claimed the United States was “winning the worldwide competition” and would not be surpassed economically by China as predicted.
While wars continue to rage in Ukraine and the Middle East, officials hope a deal between Israel and Hamas can be reached before Biden departs the White House on January 20. Biden said negotiators were close to reaching a deal that would free hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Protesters greeted Biden outside the State Department, shouting “war criminal.” Despite this, Biden defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and his support for Israel.
Biden also acknowledged that authoritarian states China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia are more closely aligned with one another but said this was due to weakness rather than strength. He highlighted Ukraine’s success in thwarting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal of wiping the country off the map.
However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Biden’s address, claiming it was an admission that U.S. support for Ukraine created a risk of triggering a nuclear confrontation with Russia.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-defends-foreign-policy-record-despite-ongoing-crises-2025-01-13