Biden says he will ‘rally the world’s democracies’ this week in reset for US foreign policies

President Biden said he will rally the world’s democracies this week when he travels to Europe for the first foreign trip of his presidency.

In an op-ed published Saturday in The Washington Post, Biden said his trip will work to prove that democracies can “come together to deliver real results for our people in a rapidly changing world.”

“This is a defining question of our time: Can democracies come together to deliver real results for our people in a rapidly changing world? Will the democratic alliances and institutions that shaped so much of the last century prove their capacity against modern-day threats and adversaries? I believe the answer is yes. And this week in Europe, we have the chance to prove it,” Biden wrote.

Biden’s trip, which kicks off this week, includes three stops in Europe: the United Kingdom for a G-7 meeting, Belgium for a NATO summit and Switzerland for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The president said his trip is about “realizing America’s renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and “demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age.”

He specified that the U.S. has to “lead the world from a position of strength” when it comes to issues like ending the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, responding to the demands of “an accelerating climate crisis” or “confronting the harmful activities” of the Chinese and Russian governments.

Biden said the schedule for his trip, which will conclude with the Putin meeting, will show that the U.S. and other leading democracies are “standing united” in addressing the challenges Russia poses to European security, including its aggression in Ukraine, and “the resolve of the United States to defend our democratic values, which we cannot separate from our interests.”

“So, when I meet with Vladimir Putin in Geneva, it will be after high-level discussions with friends, partners and allies who see the world through the same lens as the United States, and with whom we have renewed our connections and shared purpose,” Biden wrote.

When gathering with the G-7 nations, Biden said he will discuss ending the pandemic, improving health security for all nations and “driving a robust, inclusive global economic recovery.”

Biden said the G-7 nations “have an opportunity to deliver ambitious progress that curbs the climate crisis and creates jobs by driving a global clean-energy transition.”

He added that he will bolster America’s commitment to “ensuring our alliance is strong in the face of every challenge,” including cyberattacks and threats targeting critical infrastructure.

Biden also vowed to offer a “high-standard alternative” to China for improving its physical, digital and health infrastructure “that is more resilient and supports global development.”

He also said he will meet with the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council to focus on ensuring that market democracies, including China, “write the 21st-century rules around trade and technology.”

“And we will continue to pursue the goal of a Europe whole, free and at peace,” he added.

Biden also touched on ransomware attacks and invasive AI-driven surveillance, after the U.S. was the target of two extensive cyber attacks in recent weeks. He said the “democracies of the world” have to “ensure that our values govern the use and development of these innovations – not the interest of autocrats.”