Biden declares ‘the United States is back’ during address to Air Force on first foreign trip

President Joe Biden gave a stirring speech Wednesday emphasising the importance of the US’s alliances and position as a global leader, while praising the special relationship with Britain and declaring: “The United States is back.”

Speaking at RAF Mildenhall ahead of his meeting with the Group of Seven (G7) nations, Mr Biden vowed that his administration would reassert the US’s position as a leader on a wide range of issues, a seemingly tacit acknowledgement of the Trump administration’s efforts to withdraw from longstanding partnerships around the world.

"At every point along the way we are going to make it clear that the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and the issues that matter most to our future,” he said.

During the speech, Mr Biden also drew a laugh from a crowd of US airmen with a preview of his upcoming meeting with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin

“Then [after the G7] I’m heading to meet with Mr Putin...to let him know what I want him to know,” Mr Biden said, adding audible emphasis on the promise.

The remark drew a roar of laughter from the crowd, which earlier had cheered as the president shouted-out various US battalions stationed at the base.

Mr Biden struck a more serious tone regarding the meeting later in his address, telling the audience that the US was not seeking conflict with Russia but would respond appropriately in cases of Russian aggression or efforts to disrupt or harm US interests.

"We're not seeking conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship,” Mr Biden said.

The president then made a clear reference to the contrasting methods of diplomacy utilized by the US and Russia, while not naming any of the US’s specific foes, declaring: “Our alliances weren’t built by coercion or maintained by threats. They’re built on democratic ideals and shared visions of the future, and every voice matters.”

His remarks echoed an op-ed published by the president in The Washington Post over the weekend, in which he declared that the US and its allies were “standing united to address Russia’s challenges to European security, starting with its aggression in Ukraine.”

The visit and upcoming meeting with Mr Putin will follow a series of ransomware cyberattacks that struck US entities including the Colonial Pipeline Company as well as a service used by lawmakers on Capitol Hill, which experts have traced back to Russian-based criminal organizations.

The president also vowed in March that Russia and Mr Putin would “pay a price” after the US intelligence community assessed that Russian operatives interfered in the 2020 election with the intent of denigrating Mr Biden’s candidacy.

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