He plans to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal if Iran agrees to comply with its limits. Additionally, he intends to extend the nuclear arms treaty with Russia for another five years and strengthen US commitments to NATO after threats of withdrawal from President Trump. Biden also vows to hold Russia accountable for election interference and disruptions, but his main goal is to move away from the "America First" mentality and work with allies to combat global issues like the pandemic, which has resulted in over 1.2 million deaths worldwide. Biden criticized Trump's handling of the pandemic, stating that the US, with only 4% of the world's population, has accounted for 20% of the deaths. Another reason why American leadership is losing respect is due to Trump's support of autocrats and disregard for democratic allies. It is more challenging to actually implement a return to a globalist approach after four years of isolationism and during a pandemic that has strengthened nationalist tendencies. The world has changed significantly since Biden was last involved in global affairs, with power shifts favoring China, democracies retreating, and new rivalries emerging in the race for a vaccine. Foreign allies may find Biden comforting, but they still have concerns about the United States reverting to isolationist policies. Biden's advisers are beginning to outline a plan to reverse Trump's efforts to retreat from global engagement, acknowledging the importance of US leadership in the world. Blinken, Biden's national security adviser, emphasized the need for the US to resume its role in organizing global affairs, highlighting the dangers of leaving a vacuum that can be filled by negative events. While some may hope for a complete reset to before Trump's presidency, it is unlikely to happen. Biden is expected to take gradual steps to rebuild US power, starting with rejoining the Paris climate accord. Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a close friend of Biden's, expressed that Biden will have a lot of freedom in his role but will also face some limitations. Haass mentioned that Biden can easily reverse Trump's executive orders with his own, but any actions requiring Senate approval or the use of force without a clear reason will be difficult. Despite being 77 years old, Biden has a vision to move away from the "America First" policy and instead focus on the strength and courage that led to victories in past wars. However, Biden was not questioned during his campaign about how the current superpower competition differs from his earlier political career. He also did not clearly state what consequences he had in mind for President Putin of Russia, although one of his foreign policy advisers, Jake Sullivan, provided some insight. Shortly before Election Day, he stated that Biden was prepared to impose severe consequences on those responsible for Russian interference, such as financial sanctions, asset freezes, counter cyberattacks, and potentially exposing corruption by foreign leaders. This would represent a toughening of US policy, similar to what was considered but not carried out during the Obama administration. The shift in approach towards Russia is indicative of the extensive planning undertaken by Biden's transition team to reverse Trump's foreign policy stance. The team consists of experienced advisers from the Obama administration, with plans in place for negotiations, treaty reentry, and early summit meetings. Officials say that the most clear example of the breaks from the Obama administration's strategy will be seen in the reevaluation of the China strategy. Biden and his national security team underestimated how quickly President Xi Jinping of China would crack down on dissent and challenge US influence using 5G networks and the Belt and Road Initiative. According to Kurt Campbell and Ely Ratner, diplomatic and commercial engagement with China has not led to political and economic openness as predicted. Beijing continues to challenge the US-led system despite US military power and regional balancing efforts. China is a key area where Biden's longstanding beliefs will be tested. Despite criticism from former defense secretary Robert Gates for his views on foreign policy, including Afghanistan, Biden's stance on minimal military involvement in Afghanistan has now become a political advantage for him. Trump's attempt to paint Biden as a supporter of "endless wars" was unsuccessful. According to Sullivan, Biden's goal is to shift the U.S. presence in Afghanistan towards a counterterrorism focus to prevent al-Qaida or the Islamic State from establishing a base there. This approach would be limited and targeted, reflecting Biden's stance in 2009 and currently. Unlike previous Democrats, Biden is not dismissive of the Russian threat and is not interested in a reset with Moscow. He has acknowledged that Russia preferred Trump in the 2016 election and portrays himself as a tough opponent to Putin. Democrats have now become more hawkish towards Russia due to their disappointment in Trump's handling of the situation. During the campaign, Biden criticized Trump for getting too close to dictators and promised to take a tough stance on Russia if elected. As president, he will need to address Russia's large arsenal of nuclear weapons, including deployed and tactical ones that have been increasing even before Trump withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. To reverse this trend, Biden's administration plans to first extend the New START treaty for five years, as it is set to expire shortly after inauguration. They also aim to broaden the treaty to cover more weapons and potentially involve more countries. And he would exploit Putin's increasing economic vulnerability. Blinken stated, "We will deter, and impose costs for, Mr. Putin’s meddling and aggression," but also noted that Putin is seeking to reduce Russia's reliance on China, putting him in an uncomfortable position. This suggests that the Biden administration may attempt to capitalize on the distrust between Moscow and Beijing to divide the two superpowers, similar to how President Richard Nixon used it to establish relations with China. On the topic of Iran, Biden expressed frustration in 2010 when news of a classified cyberweapon operation to disrupt Iran's nuclear program was on the verge of being exposed. A decade later, it seems that the Israeli's actions to undermine the Iranian nuclear program marked the beginning of a new era of conflict, in which Biden played a significant role. Biden supported the covert operation as a means to hinder Iran's advancements without provoking war in the region. He later stated that he believed the covert program played a role in bringing Iran to the negotiating table for the Iran nuclear deal five years later. At a NATO leaders meeting in Watford, England on Dec. 4, 2019, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the attendees. President-elect Joe Biden wants to strengthen American commitments to NATO. Biden's initial approach with Iran involves reinstating the nuclear deal if Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, agrees to adhere to the production limits set in 2015. However, the Iranians have suggested that there will be repercussions for Trump's violation of the deal. Additionally, key restrictions on Iran, such as the expiration of the arms embargo in October, may lead to increased sales from Russia and China. In the near future, a new Iranian president will take office, and it is uncertain how this will impact potential negotiations. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently spoke at a NATO leaders meeting, where President-elect Joe Biden expressed his desire to strengthen American commitments to NATO. Biden's team believes that rejoining the deal that Trump withdrew from would put pressure back on Tehran. Secretary of State nominee Blinken stated that if Iran refuses to comply, the US will have stronger support from allies who blame Trump for the crisis. In 2012, Biden welcomed Xi to Washington and praised him as a reformer, but by this year he had changed his opinion and referred to him as a "thug." Biden criticized Trump for his handling of the trade war with China, arguing that American taxpayers ultimately bore the cost of the tariffs through government subsidies. Biden has not discussed his plans for confronting these challenges. He may need to address issues related to agricultural goods and intellectual property theft by China, as well as manage technological advances by companies like Huawei and TikTok. Biden has hinted that he may continue some of Trump's policies, but with a more diplomatic approach to engage allies. He expressed concerns about Chinese data collection and vowed to thoroughly investigate these matters if elected president. I will bring in cyber experts to help me find the best solution for dealing with the issue. Biden is adamant about placing values at the core of foreign policy, particularly in regards to the US-China relationship. This stance echoes Bill Clinton's promise in 1992 to confront China. This likely involves holding China accountable for crackdowns on dissent under Xi's leadership, such as the detention camps in Xinjiang, arrests of dissidents in Hong Kong, and expulsion of foreign journalists who provided independent reporting in China.