In his final address to the United Nations on Tuesday, President Biden praised the defense of Ukraine from Russian aggression and efforts to repair America’s global alliances, but also warned that his administration’s gains could easily unravel if the U.S. returns to isolationism.
Biden spoke for just over 20 minutes at the UN General Assembly, blending personal reflections, policy imperatives and an impassioned defense of democracy. He reflected on his political career, from being elected to the Senate in 1972 at age 29 to his “difficult” decision two months ago to not run for reelection, a decision he framed as a lesson for other heads of state.
“Leaders, let’s never forget that there are more important things than staying in power,” Biden said.
Unsurprisingly, Biden focused on the US and Western response to the invasion of Ukraine, declaring that the US and its allies, primarily NATO, had “guaranteed that Ukraine will remain a free nation.”
But Biden did not assess how successful he had been on what he characterized as the central challenge of his era: ensuring democracy prevails over autocracy. He also acknowledged that Ukraine’s ability to contain Russia could be fleeting, which prompted his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Thursday.
“We cannot tire, and we cannot look away,” the president declared, in what may be his final opportunity to rally global support for a conflict that has played a central role in his presidency.
Biden came into office promising to restore U.S. leadership in the world. “America is back,” he would say. In his United Nations address on Tuesday, he highlighted his administration’s commitment to international engagement, from investing in clean energy and clean water in developing countries to a new pledge announced during the speech to spend $500 million and donate 1 million vaccines to fight a growing polio outbreak in Africa.
But Biden must also face the limitations of his campaign promises. There are many problems to be solved all around. In Gaza, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has not been achieved after 11 months of fighting. Israel is carrying out fierce artillery bombardment of the militant group Hezbollah, causing increasing civilian casualties. As Biden speaks, Israel continues to shell Lebanon with heavy artillery fire, threatening to provoke a multi-front war in the Middle East. Gaza and Ukraine face worsening humanitarian crises.
“America is back, he can claim that, but there are significant limitations to leadership,” said Aaron David Miller, a longtime Middle East peace negotiator who has advised presidents of both parties. “I think the Biden administration is a lesson in how complex and surprising the international situation is, and the limits of American power.”
Biden, who hosts Zelensky at the White House on Thursday, is likely to face renewed pressure to allow Ukraine to use long-range U.S. missiles to strike deep into Russian territory, a step Biden has resisted and fears would lead to a direct conflict with one of America’s two biggest nuclear-armed adversaries.
Zelensky is coming to Japan to present a “victory plan” to the United States and has said Biden will be the first to see it. He is also due to meet with presidential candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump. “This war will not be quelled by talk,” he said in a speech to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday. “Action is needed.”
Mr. Zelensky will address the entire General Assembly on Wednesday, but Russian President Vladimir V. Putin will not attend. Russia is being represented by its longtime foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov. In his speech, Mr. Biden criticized the Russian president, saying Mr. Putin’s war “has already failed to achieve its core objectives.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping also skipped the annual meeting, meaning little will be heard from the two biggest powers facing the U.S. under Biden’s administration. Biden made no mention of efforts to block China from acquiring advanced technology or selling cutting-edge, high-tech products in the U.S., but he acknowledged China and the U.S. working together to halt the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl. Later that day, Biden addressed an international coalition to end the threat of synthetic drugs.
“We appreciate our cooperation,” the president said, referring to China in his UN speech. “This is important to the people of our country and to many around the world.”
Biden acknowledged that his term is short – he has just months to tackle a series of serious global crises and there is a big risk that Trump will abandon his vision for global alliances if he returns to the White House in January – and recalled his 1972 Senate elections, at the height of the Cold War and when America was still fighting in Vietnam, saying the US was at a “tipping point” then, just like it is today.
“I truly believe we are at a new turning point in world history,” Biden said, repeating a line he often used as president. “The choices we make today will determine our future for decades to come.”
On the Middle East issue, Biden made it a point to highlight civilian casualties.
“They didn’t want this war,” Biden said, referring to the tens of thousands of people killed in Gaza, including Hamas fighters and those caught in the crossfire. He reiterated that Hamas and Israel needed to sign a ceasefire and hostage plan. But today, with a major new front opening in Lebanon, that agreement seems further away than ever.
With just weeks to go until the one-year anniversary of Hamas attacks on Israel, the president reiterated his long-held position that Israel has the right to defend itself.
“The world must not shrink from the horror of October 7,” Biden said, adding that “every nation has the right and the responsibility to ensure that such an attack never happens again.”
Biden also devoted a large portion of his speech to the promises and risks of artificial intelligence, something he only touched on briefly in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last year.
He said AI technology offers promise but also carries “serious risks, from deep fakes to disinformation to new pathogens and biological weapons.” This year, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to begin drawing up “global rules” for AI, an effort Biden said he welcomed.
Biden has served on the world stage for more than 50 years as a senator, vice president and president, including as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Reflecting on his time, Biden spoke about the lessons he’s learned. One of them, he said, is that “things can get better.”
He cited a series of examples, including the recovery from the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of apartheid in South Africa and the world emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. He also spoke of the fight for “freedom, justice and dignity” in places like Venezuela and Uganda, where gay and transgender people have fought for their rights.
“Every generation has its challenges,” Biden said, “I felt them when I was younger. I feel them now. But we are stronger than we know we are. We are stronger together than we are alone.”
When he finished, the president paused to soak in the applause, then put his hand over his heart, gave a quick wave and walked off the stage, leaving his fourth and final speech to the UN General Assembly.
