He plans to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal if Iran agrees to follow 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 from President Trump to withdraw from the alliance. Biden also plans to hold Russia accountable for election interference. Overall, he aims to move away from Trump's "America First" slogan and prioritize international cooperation, especially in response to the pandemic that has claimed over 1.2 million lives worldwide. Biden criticized Trump's handling of the pandemic, noting that the US has had a disproportionately high number of deaths compared to its population. Another reason why respect for American leadership is plummeting is due to Trump's support for autocrats worldwide and his disregard for democratic allies. While it may be easy to promise a return to the internationalist approach of the post-World War II era, actually executing this plan after four years of global isolationism and during a pandemic that has strengthened nationalist tendencies is much more challenging. The world has changed significantly since Biden was last involved in international affairs, with power vacuums being filled by China, democracies retreating, and new rivalries emerging in the race for a vaccine. Allies of the United States may find Biden comforting, but they are skeptical about fully trusting that the country will not revert to isolationist policies. Biden's advisors are beginning to outline a plan to reverse Trump's efforts to withdraw from global engagement, which they refer to as the Great Undoing. Antony J. Blinken, Biden's national security advisor, emphasized the importance of the United States taking a leadership role in global affairs. Despite the desire to reset to pre-Trump era policies, Blinken acknowledged that it will be a slow process. Biden is expected to take small steps, such as rejoining the Paris climate accord, to reassure allies and rebuild US power. Richard N. Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a close friend of Biden, said that Biden will inherit a situation that allows him a lot of freedom but also poses limitations. Haass mentioned that anything Trump did through executive order can be reversed the same way, but any actions requiring Senate approval or the use of force will be difficult without a clear reason. Biden, at 77, has a vision to move away from "America First" and instead tap into the strength and boldness that led to previous victories. Despite not discussing foreign policy much during his campaign, Biden has not been questioned about how current superpower competition differs from earlier in his career. He has not specified what consequences he envisions for President Putin of Russia, but one of his longtime advisers, Jake Sullivan, provided some insight. Just before the election, he stated that Biden was prepared to impose severe consequences on those involved in Russian interference, such as financial sanctions, asset freezes, cyberattacks, and exposing corruption by foreign leaders, indicating a tougher stance by the US. These actions were considered by the Obama administration during Biden's time as vice president but were not implemented. The shift in policy towards Russia highlights the detailed planning by Biden's transition team, which includes former Obama administration officials and plans for negotiations, treaty reentry, and early summit meetings. Officials say that the most prominent example of their plans diverging from the Obama administration's strategy will be seen in their reevaluation of the approach to China. His advisers admit that during Obama's presidency, Biden and his national security team underestimated how quickly President Xi Jinping of China would crack down on dissent and use its 5G networks and Belt and Road Initiative to challenge US influence. Kurt Campbell and Ely Ratner noted in a 2018 Foreign Affairs article that neither carrots nor sticks have been effective in swaying China as expected. Diplomatic and commercial engagement has not led to political and economic openness. The US military power and regional balancing have not been able to prevent Beijing from attempting to replace key aspects of the US-led system. China is a crucial area where Biden's longstanding beliefs will be tested. Robert Gates, who served as defense secretary under both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, had mixed views on Biden's foreign policy decisions, particularly regarding Afghanistan. In 2009, Biden advocated for a limited force with a focus on counterterrorism in Afghanistan, but was overruled by Obama, who increased troop levels before later reducing them. Despite criticism in the past, Biden's stance on Afghanistan has now become a political advantage, as Trump's attempts to portray him as a supporter of perpetual warfare have not been successful. According to Sullivan, Biden's goal is to transition our presence in Afghanistan to a counterterrorism capability in order to prevent al-Qaida or the Islamic State group from establishing a base and threatening the United States. This approach would be focused and limited, reflecting Biden's position in 2009 and current stance. Unlike past Democrats who were seen as appeasing Russia during the Cold War, Biden is the first to take a firm stance against the Russian threat. He does not downplay the threat like Obama did in 2012, nor does he seek to reset relations with Russia, as Hillary Clinton did at the start of her tenure as secretary of state. Biden has pointed out that Russia preferred Trump in the 2016 election, emphasizing his history with Putin and the fact that Putin does not want him to become president. After the revelations of Russian interference in 2016 and Trump's failure to address it, Democrats have become more hawkish towards Russia. During the campaign, Biden criticized Trump for getting close to dictators and talked about how he would take action against Russia if he won the election. Now as president, Biden will have to address the challenge of a Russia with a significant nuclear arsenal, including 1,550 deployed nuclear weapons and various tactical nuclear weapons. One way Biden plans to address this issue is by extending the New START treaty for five years, as it is set to expire shortly after his inauguration. Additionally, he may aim to broaden the treaty to include other types of weapons and 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." He also mentioned the other side of dealing with Moscow, pointing out that Putin is seeking to reduce Russia's reliance on China, which has put him in a difficult position. This implies that the Biden administration may try to capitalize on the distrust between Moscow and Beijing to divide the two superpowers, similar to how President Nixon used it to establish relations with China decades ago. A decade later, it seems that the Israelis were responsible for going too far in attempting to undermine the Iranian nuclear program. This action ultimately led to a new era of conflict, with Biden playing a significant role. Biden supported the covert operation as a way to slow down Iran's progress without starting a war in the Middle East. He later credited the covert program for bringing Iran to the negotiating table for the Iran nuclear deal five years later. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of Britain, spoke during a NATO leaders meeting at The Grove hotel and resort in Watford, England on Dec. 4, 2019. President-elect Joe Biden wants to reaffirm American commitments to NATO. Biden's initial approach with Iran involves restoring the status quo by rejoining the 2015 deal if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei agrees to return to production limits. However, Iran has suggested that there will be consequences for Trump's actions, and key restrictions on Iran are set to expire soon. There will be a new Iranian president soon, and it is unclear how this will impact potential talks. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently spoke at a NATO leaders meeting in Watford, England in December 2019. President-elect Joe Biden is looking to increase American commitments to NATO. Biden's team believes that rejoining the Iran nuclear deal would put pressure on Tehran. Secretary of State Blinken stated that if Iran refuses to comply, the US will have more support from allies who blame Trump for exiting the agreement. In 2012, Biden welcomed Xi to Washington and praised him as a reformer, but by this year he had changed his opinion and called Xi a "thug." Biden criticized Trump for starting a trade war with China and losing, as American taxpayers had to compensate for the tariffs through government subsidies. Biden has not shared many details on how he plans to address these issues. In addition to resolving longstanding disputes regarding agricultural goods and intellectual property theft by China, Biden will also have to navigate new challenges such as managing the technological presence of companies like Huawei and TikTok. Biden has hinted that he may continue the crackdown initiated by Trump, but with a more diplomatic approach to involve European and other allies. He expressed concerns about the information that China may be gathering and stated his intention to thoroughly investigate as president. I will consult with cyberexperts to determine the best solution to address the issue. Biden is adamant about prioritizing values in foreign policy, especially in regards to the US-China relationship. This stance is reminiscent of Bill Clinton's promise in 1992 to confront China's human rights abuses. This likely involves holding China accountable for crackdowns on dissent, such as the detention camps in Xinjiang and the expulsion of foreign journalists.