What happened?

On 13 June, during his visit to Europe to take part in the G7 and NATO summits, the US President declared, “America is back at the table”.

On 14 June, on climate change, he said: “that global warming is an existential problem of humanity and has to be treated in that way”.

On 17 June, a joint statement after the Biden- Putin summit pledged: “embark on an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future”, was declared.

What is the background?

First, Biden’s approach towards Europe was a fresh strategy of democratic negotiation and coalition, which is welcoming in the west. He reasserts America’s leadership in the world stage, by promising to end the pandemic and to address climate change, which Trump failed to do. Earlier considered taboo subjects such as joint co-operation in the areas of security and defense were discussed. This is considered to be a breakthrough agreement. Through his engagements with Europe in various areas of trade and technology, he is proving that Europe is back at the stage of global diplomacy. US has also managed to address the three important issues: China, covid, and climate under its impulse which the predecessors failed to achieve. From the European perspective, the EU-US high-level dialogue on Russia was a constructive move. Biden’s actions in the summit proves his commitment to multilateralism.

Second, Biden is taking a major leap in leading US interest with the west, majorly in building a coalition on China. The US along with the industrial rich G7 countries is planning to create an alternative to China’s new silk route project by the US coming up with the idea of ‘build back better world’ and is to set up a global infrastructure partnership. Though China and the EU are working together for years on benchmark areas, the US by addressing the issues of human rights violation and the importance of peace maintenance in the Taiwan Strait is garnering support from the west. The joint partnership against China condemning the issue of forced labor and China being the biggest emitter of harmful gases were welcomed. Biden got the consensus of G7 on the issues of China’s military assertiveness. This shows the collaborative democratic achievement that the US is trying to achieve on China.

Third, improving the lines of communication between Russia and the US is a win-win issue. Through the recent Biden- Putin summit, a constructive consultation on cybersecurity and the return of the ambassadors to their diplomatic posts were obliged. This summit was to improve the alliance with Russia by addressing the issues of cybercrime mainly. They addressed the ransomware attack in the pipeline, the human rights issue, and the military threats posed by China. US talks with China were productive in the areas of looming issues of Russian interference in American elections and other norms. They agreed to replace the START treaty, which indicates US interest in seeking Russia’s alliance through defined red lines. One of the important reasons for seeking an alliance is to counter the problems posed by China and also to improve the communication through coalition. US efforts in destabilizing Russia’s menacing influence globally were productive at the summit.

What does it mean?

Through the G7 and NATO summits, Biden has built a consensus of the West on Russia and China. With Russia, his meeting with Putin should be seen as a breakthrough to prevent the downward spiralling of the US-Russia bilateral relations. While Biden's Europe tour has consolidated the trans-Atlantic partnership, it has also addressed the recent negativity in the bilateral relations with Russia.