Preparing to welcome President Joe Biden, Europe is relieved that he considers them an ally and NATO as important for security. However, the scars from the previous administration have caused some experts to believe that the wounds will take time to heal. Rosa Balfour, director of Carnegie Europe, warns not to underestimate the shock of the Trump years on the European Union, as they fear his return and being left out in the cold. The EU is now more cautious in accepting US demands due to this. There are various serious topics to discuss, including the Afghanistan pullout, military spending, relations with Russia and China, trade disputes, tariffs, climate issues, and vaccine diplomacy. However much the Europeans admire Biden's promises of loyalty and affection, they have recently observed how US foreign policy can change drastically with a new president, causing them to worry that it could happen again. They believe that America has shifted, and view Biden as a temporary leader between more populist, nationalist presidents. There are concerns about the financial implications of Biden's policies, especially his focus on a "foreign policy for the middle class" in comparison to Trump's "America first" approach. With upcoming elections in Germany, France, and the US, Biden's ability to make significant changes may be limited. Despite this, his upcoming visits to NATO and the EU are seen as more than just symbolic gestures. The meetings are coordinated so that he can arrive in Geneva on June 16 with allied consultation and support for his first meeting as president with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. According to Jana Puglierin, Berlin director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, the optimistic view is that Biden is initiating a new relationship by showing faith in Brussels and NATO, saying the right words, and beginning the process of renovating the alliance for the next decade. However, tangible results are also expected as Biden wants to see benefits from the partnership. François Heisbourg, a French defense analyst, believes that there are only positives from the Biden trip and emphasizes that this is not a cynical move but a sign that the US is back under Biden's leadership. Biden is determined to implement his strong views, with a focus on reestablishing comity and civility with allies. Policy reviews must eventually become actual policy, according to Heisbourg. Daalder sees Biden's recent trip as part of a larger effort to show the importance of alliances and partnerships, but notes that ambassadors to NATO, the EU, and European countries have not yet been named or confirmed. Despite this, officials believe it is not crucial at this time, as many potential candidates are well-known and capable of immediately contacting key officials if needed. The NATO summit meeting, consisting of 30 leaders, will be concise, with a single 2 1/2-hour session following an opening ceremony. This will allow only five minutes for each leader to speak. The leaders will reach an agreement on a communique currently in negotiation, address the Afghanistan withdrawal, and approve a yearlong study on redesigning NATO's strategic concept to address new challenges in areas such as cyberwarfare, artificial intelligence, antimissile defense, disinformation, and other emerging technologies. In the previous revision of the strategic concept in 2010, NATO viewed Russia as a potential partner and barely mentioned China. The new revision will begin with different assumptions. NATO officials and ambassadors anticipate future discussions on topics like the extent and location of a regional trans-Atlantic alliance's efforts to counter China, what capabilities NATO requires, and how much of these capabilities should be funded collectively or remain the responsibility of individual member countries. How to navigate the EU's ambiguous push for "strategic autonomy" while promoting European military spending and efficiency and preventing duplication with NATO is a key concern. Another issue is how to enhance NATO's political acumen, as emphasized by French President Emmanuel Macron, possibly by organizing new meetings of member states' key officials such as national security advisers and political directors. Additionally, discussions will start in private sessions about replacing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, whose tenure was extended for two years to maintain stability during the Trump administration. His term concludes in September 2022. Other pressing topics for the upcoming NATO summit include addressing Afghanistan during and after withdrawal, Russia under Putin's leadership, China led by Xi Jinping, and Belarus under Aleksandr Lukashenko. The ambassador of a NATO country stated that those interested in punctual trains will find the NATO summit interesting, while those interested in train collisions will be disappointed. The same sentiment applies to Biden's meeting with the European Union on June 15, where he will meet with Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, representing the European Council and European Commission respectively. Biden will have already met with 21 of the 27 EU leaders the day before at NATO, as there is significant overlap between the two organizations. Turkey, a member of NATO, faces challenges in balancing its relationships with Russia and its hostility towards Greece. Cyprus, an EU member, hinders NATO coordination due to its animosity towards Turkey. The bloc has various issues to address, such as trade disputes, global corporate tax enforcement, data transfer, military matters, carbon-neutral economy transition, regulation of tech giants, multilateral institution reform, and handling China and Russia. There is concern about potential future leaders like Trump, and German officials feel Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan was made independently, with allies simply following suit. In the same way, European leaders were upset and embarrassed by Biden's sudden decision to support the waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, which was made without consulting allies or giving any warning. Europeans have a different perspective than the United States on China, as they are more reliant on both China and Russia for trade and energy. Some are concerned that Biden's approach of framing the world as a competition between democracy and authoritarianism is too simplistic. Nathalie Tocci, director of Italy's International Affairs Institute, emphasized the importance of consulting with allies before the Putin summit, stating that it is more than just a symbolic gesture. Europeans are fooling themselves if they think things can return to how they were before. They should work with Biden on important issues like climate, vaccines, and trade to create a Western alliance that can lead to a global agreement. This is the most effective way to demonstrate that democracy is successful.