World leaders gathered in New York City on Sept. 24 for the U.N. General Assembly, where President Joe Biden delivered his keynote address, which also served as his farewell speech to the international community as U.S. president.
During his speech, Biden advocated a stronger and more effective United Nations and a reformed and expanded U.N. Security Council.
“It’s time to move forward,” he said. “The U.N. itself needs to go back to the job of making peace, of brokering deals, to end wars and suffering.”
The president defended his foreign policy approach before the U.N. body, urging member countries to unite in addressing the big challenges, including the need to end the wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan.
The president delivered his final speech in an environment that starkly contrasted last year’s address, which occurred before the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel by Hamas that claimed more than 1,200 lives.
He began his speech by stating that he has seen a “remarkable sweep of history” since he began his political career as a U.S. senator at the age of 29.
Biden listed crises that the world has faced since then, including the Vietnam War and the Cold War.
“Today, the United States and Vietnam are partners and friends,” he said. “Things can get better.”
Biden has indicated that in his final four months in office, he seeks to highlight his achievements and leave a positive legacy in areas such as the economy and foreign policy.
He has directed his Cabinet to “get as much work done as possible,” according to a recent memo from his senior adviser Ben LaBolt titled “President Biden’s ‘Sprint to the Finish.’”
The memo details the president’s plan for the coming weeks, including his final address before the U.N. body and meetings with world leaders.
As he embarks on a busy week of diplomacy, the White House views this as a key moment for Biden to define the legacy of his presidency to Americans and the world.
The chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021 was a turning point in Biden’s presidency, accompanied by a fall in his approval ratings. He also faced public criticism for his handling of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
During his speech, Biden acknowledged the crisis in Afghanistan while defending his decision.
“It was a hard decision, but the right decision. Four American presidents had faced that decision, but I was determined not to leave it to the fifth,” he said.
He remembered 13 American soldiers who lost their lives, along with hundreds of Afghans.
“I think of them every day,” he said.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has repeatedly criticized Biden’s foreign policy approach and said that none of the tensions would have devolved into physical conflicts under his presidency.
Tensions in the Middle East
During his address, Biden urged Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement on the cease-fire and hostage deal.“Now is the time for the parties to finalize its terms, bring the hostages home,” he said.
The White House earlier stated that it is working “diligently” to secure a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, one of the president’s primary goals before the end of his term.
However, many speculate that a peace deal may now be out of reach for Biden following the recent escalation of tensions with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has been attacking Israel almost daily since Oct. 8, 2023, from across Israel’s northern border.
On Sept. 23, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes that, according to the Lebanese government, killed hundreds of people. The strikes were a response to Hezbollah’s attack on northern Israel with nearly 150 rockets, missiles, and drones, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome and other aerial defense systems.
“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,“ Biden told world leaders. ”Even if a situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible.”
US–China Relations
During his speech at the United Nations, the president also highlighted that he seeks “to responsibly manage the competition with China,” including cooperation on stopping the flow of deadly narcotics into the country.On Sept. 21, Biden told leaders of Australia, India, and Japan that communist China is “testing” the four countries with its aggression in the Indo-Pacific, a remark that was caught on a hot mic at a summit of the Quad alliance.
Biden hosted this year’s summit near his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
“China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it’s true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia, and the Taiwan Straits,” Biden said during the Quad meeting.
The joint declaration from the Quad leaders did not specifically mention China or Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping by name. However, it read, “We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Sea.”
In recent weeks, the Philippines, a key U.S. ally, has condemned Beijing over the ramming attacks on its boats by Chinese vessels. China’s coast guard vessels blasted Philippine ships with water cannons and fired flares at Philippine aircraft, with most of the incidents occurring around the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.
In addition, the CCP, which claims Taiwan as a part of its territory, has been targeting the self-ruled island with military provocations and gray-zone tactics, including cyberattacks.
Threats of AI
During his speech, Biden acknowledged the myriad challenges the world is facing today, including wars, hunger, and terrorism. However, he took a moment to emphasize the potential risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI).“Nothing is certain about how AI will evolve or how it will be deployed. No one knows all the answers,” Biden said, urging countries to work together to address the problems of using this new technology.
Before concluding, he also discussed his “difficult decision” not to pursue a second term as president.
“I decided, after 50 years of public service, it’s time for new generation of leadership to take my nation forward,” he said.
“My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. It’s your people that matter the most.”
On Tuesday afternoon, the president will host a summit to address synthetic drug threats, a U.S.-led initiative to mobilize support among countries to disrupt the global supply chain for illicit fentanyl—much of which stems from China—according to the White House.
Following that, Biden will give remarks on climate at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum, in which he will highlight “his climate, conservation, clean energy, and environmental justice agenda,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
After his meetings in New York City, Biden will return to the White House for another critical meeting on Sept. 26.
“I’m looking forward to hosting my friend President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy of Ukraine next week at the White House,” Biden said on social media platform X on Sept. 19.
“During his visit, I'll reaffirm America’s commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends its freedom and independence.”
