He stated that he plans to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal if Iran agrees to comply with its restrictions. Additionally, he intends to extend the nuclear arms treaty with Russia and reaffirm US commitments to NATO, despite threats from President Trump to withdraw from the alliance. Biden also mentioned holding Russia accountable for election interference. Overall, he aims to move away from the divisive "America First" approach of the previous administration and work with allies to address global challenges like the pandemic. Biden criticized Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, pointing out that the US has a disproportionately high number of deaths compared to its population. Another reason why respect for American leadership is declining is due to Trump's support of autocrats and alienation of democratic allies. It is more challenging to actually implement a return to the internationalist approach of the post-World War II era after four years of isolationism and during a pandemic that has strengthened nationalist sentiments. The global landscape has changed significantly since Biden was last involved in international affairs, with power shifts benefiting China, democracies receding, and new rivalries emerging in the race for a vaccine. Foreign allies may find Biden reassuring, especially when he criticizes the "America First" policy. However, they acknowledge that they may never fully trust that the United States won't revert back to isolationism. Biden's top advisers are outlining a plan to reverse Trump's policies, which they refer to as the Great Undoing. Antony J. Blinken, Biden's national security adviser, emphasized the importance of the United States taking a leadership role in the world. He also acknowledged that it will take time to rebuild trust with allies and restore America's global standing. Biden is expected to make symbolic gestures, such as rejoining the Paris climate accord, in the early days of his presidency, but significant changes will take longer to implement. Richard N. Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a close friend of Biden's, mentioned that Biden will have a lot of freedom to make decisions, but also some limitations. Haass stated that anything Trump did through executive order can be reversed the same way, but any significant actions that require Senate approval or military action will be difficult without a clear reason. Biden, at 77 years old, has a vision to move away from the "America First" mindset and instead focus on the strength and courage that led the country to victory in past conflicts. However, during his campaign, foreign policy was not a major topic of discussion, and Biden was not questioned on how he views the current global power dynamics compared to his earlier political career. Despite this, one of his foreign policy advisers, Jake Sullivan, provided some insight into Biden's approach towards Russia's President Putin. Just before the election, 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 revealing corruption by foreign leaders. This would indicate a tougher stance in US policy, reminiscent of actions considered by the Obama administration during Biden's time as vice president but never implemented. This shift in approach towards Russia demonstrates the detailed planning undertaken by Biden's transition team, which began organizing late last spring, to reverse Trump's foreign policy decisions. The team has assembled a group of foreign policy experts, including former Obama administration officials, to guide the new administration in negotiations, treaty reentry, and early summit meetings. Officials say that the Biden administration's plans diverge significantly from the Obama administration's strategy, particularly in terms of China strategy. Biden's advisers admit that they 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 during the Obama administration. Kurt Campbell and Ely Ratner wrote in a 2018 Foreign Affairs article that neither carrots nor sticks have influenced China as expected. Diplomatic and commercial engagement has not led to political and economic openness. US military strength and efforts to balance power in the region have not prevented Beijing from trying to replace key elements of the US-led system. China is a significant area where Biden's longstanding beliefs will clash with new realities. In the past, Biden's views on foreign policy have been criticized, including his stance on Afghanistan, where he initially advocated for a limited counterterrorism presence. Despite being overruled by Obama, Biden's position on Afghanistan has now become a political advantage, as Trump's attempt to paint him as supporting "endless wars" did not succeed. According to Sullivan, Biden's goal is to shift the focus of our presence in Afghanistan to a counterterrorism capability, with the aim of preventing al-Qaida or the Islamic State group from establishing a base there. This approach would be limited and targeted, reflecting Biden's stance in 2009 and today. Unlike past Democrats who were seen as appeasing Russia during the Cold War, Biden is taking a more assertive stance. He does not downplay the Russian threat like Obama did in 2012, nor does he seek a reset like Clinton did. Biden has highlighted his familiarity with Putin and claimed that Russia prefers Trump over him. In light of Russian interference in 2016 and Trump's reluctance to confront Putin, Democrats have become more hawkish towards Russia. During much of the campaign, Biden criticized Trump for getting close to authoritarian leaders and talked about how he planned to take action against Russia if he became president. As president, Biden will need to address the challenge of dealing with Russia, which possesses 1,550 deployed nuclear weapons and numerous tactical nuclear weapons. Before Trump withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Russia had already been deploying these weapons. How would Biden stop this dangerous trend? According to Blinken, he would first extend the New START treaty for five years, as it expires just 16 days after inauguration. Afterwards, he would aim to broaden the treaty to cover other types of weapons and possibly involve more countries. He would exploit Putin's increasing economic vulnerability by deterring and imposing costs for his meddling and aggression, according to Blinken. Additionally, Blinken 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 divide the two superpowers by leveraging the mutual suspicions between Moscow and Beijing, similar to how President Richard Nixon did with China decades ago. In a separate incident regarding Iran, Biden expressed frustration in a meeting in 2010 as news broke about a classified operation with Israel to sabotage Iran's nuclear program using a cyberweapon known as "Stuxnet." "It seems likely that the Israelis were responsible for crossing a line with their actions. A decade later, this attempt to hinder Iran's nuclear program seems to have sparked a new era of conflict, with Biden playing a significant role. He supported the covert operation as a means to slow down Iran's advancements without provoking a war in the region. Biden later acknowledged that he believed the covert program played a role in bringing Iran to the negotiating table for the Iran nuclear deal five years later." President-elect Joe Biden is looking to strengthen American commitments to NATO. Biden's initial approach with Iran involves restoring the previous status quo by reentering the deal if Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, agrees to adhere to the production limits set in 2015. However, this process may be more complicated as Iran has suggested there will be repercussions for Trump's violation of the deal. Additionally, key restrictions on Iran are set to expire soon, with the first phase of an arms embargo already lifted in October, potentially allowing Russian and Chinese sales to resume. In the near future, a new Iranian president will be in office, and it is uncertain how this will impact potential negotiations. During a NATO leaders meeting in December 2019, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed his views. President-elect Joe Biden is eager to strengthen American commitment to NATO. Biden's team believes that rejoining the agreement that Trump withdrew from will put pressure back on Tehran. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that if Iran chooses not to comply, the US will have more support from allies and partners who blame Trump for causing the crisis by rejecting an existing agreement. In 2012, Biden welcomed Xi to Washington and praised him as a reformer representing a different side of Chinese leadership. Biden initially celebrated China's peaceful rise but by this year, he had changed his opinion, calling Xi a "thug." During the campaign, Biden criticized Trump for losing a trade war that he started, pointing out that American taxpayers ultimately paid for the tariffs on Chinese goods through government subsidies. Biden has not provided much detail on how he plans to address these issues. Even if he is able to resolve disputes over agricultural goods and intellectual property theft by China, he will still have to confront new challenges that were not discussed during Xi's visit eight years ago. These include managing the technological advancements made by companies like Huawei and TikTok, which have become popular among millions of Americans. Biden has hinted that he may continue the crackdown initiated by Trump, but with a more diplomatic approach to gain support from European and other allies. He expressed concerns about the Chinese potentially using information obtained from the US, and stated that he would thoroughly investigate this as president. I will consult cyberexperts to find the best solution to deal with the issue. Biden is adamant about putting values at the forefront of foreign policy, especially in regards to the US-China relationship. This echoes Bill Clinton's promise in 1992 to confront "the butchers of Beijing." This likely involves holding China accountable for Xi's crackdown on dissent, such as the national security laws in Xinjiang, arrests in Hong Kong, and expulsion of foreign journalists.