In Address To U.N., Biden Says U.S. Is Ready For A ‘New Era’

After ending the 20-year “relentless” war in Afghanistan and enduring the threat of illness, unemployment and isolation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the US is ready for a “new era” of diplomacy, President Joe Biden told the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.

Biden stated that the world is at an “inflection point in history” and encouraged collaboration among nations in order to solve issues ranging from climate change to corruption. “Instead of continuing to fight the wars of the past, we are fixing our eyes on devoting our resources to the challenges that hold the keys to our collective future: Ending this pandemic, addressing the climate crisis, managing the shifts in global power dynamics, shaping the rules of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber and emerging technologies and facing the threat of terrorism as it stands today. Our security, our prosperity and our very freedoms are interconnected, in my view, as never before. And so, I believe we must work together as never before.”

Despite his optimistic remarks, Biden’s appearance at the U.N. was met with mixed emotions from America’s closest allies.

Many European officials disapprove of Biden’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Some E.U. diplomats believe that Biden is merely repeating history – producing a more palatable version of Trump’s “America First” philosophy.

Biden recently alienated France, one of America’s oldest allies, after Australia pulled out of a multibillion-dollar submarine deal with Paris in order to join the U.K. and U.S. in a new security pact.

Biden affirmed during his speech the importance of strengthening his alliances with other countries. “The United States is ready to work with any nation that steps up and pursues peaceful resolution to shared challenges, even if we have intense disagreement in other areas because we’ll all suffer the consequences of our failure,” Biden said. “I stand here today for the first time in 20 years with the United States not at war. We’ve turned the page. All the unmatched energy and commitment, will and resources of our nation are now fully and squarely focused on what’s ahead of us, not what’s behind.”