His message emphasizing the importance of revitalizing alliances and recommitting to defending Europe was well received at the Munich Security Conference session where Biden spoke from the White House. However, there was pushback, particularly from French President Emmanuel Macron, who passionately defended his concept of "strategic autonomy" from the United States, arguing that Europe should not rely too heavily on the US as it shifts its focus to Asia, particularly China. Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will be leaving office soon, tempered her praise for Biden's decision to cancel plans to withdraw 12,000 US troops from Germany with a warning that "our interests will not always align." This seemed to refer to Germany's hesitancy in confronting China, a key market for its products, as well as the ongoing disagreement with the US over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Russia. Despite these differences, all three leaders acknowledged that their first virtual meeting marked the end of the "America First" era and welcomed Biden back, recognizing him from his time as a senator and vice president. Biden also used the opportunity to highlight the importance of a united strategy in countering an Internet-driven narrative, promoted by both Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China, that the chaos surrounding the American election was a sign of democratic weakness and decline. Biden emphasized the importance of proving that democracies can still meet the needs of their people in today's world, stating that they must show their model is not outdated. The president, a regular attendee at the Munich conference, spoke at the event which was held virtually due to the pandemic. He also participated in a video meeting with the Group of 7 allies, hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The next in-person summit is scheduled to take place in Britain this summer. Biden did not mention his predecessor, Donald Trump, but focused on moving past Trumpism in the US's global strategy. He marked the return to the Paris climate agreement and a new initiative to engage Iran diplomatically, along with recalling the foundational principles of the Atlantic alliance and NATO's creation during the Cold War. French President Emmanuel Macron participated in an Online G7 meeting on February 19, 2021, in Paris, France. Thibault Camus/Pool via REUTERS. Biden emphasized that democracy is not a coincidence. "We must protect it. Enhance it. Revive it." In a clear opposition to Trump, who discussed pulling out of NATO and famously refused to acknowledge the United States' duties under Article V of the alliance's charter to assist members under attack, Biden portrayed the United States as prepared to fulfill its role as the core of the alliance. "We will uphold" this obligation, he stated, emphasizing that "an attack on one is an attack on all." However, he also urged Europe to consider challenges in a fresh manner — unlike the Cold War era, despite the familiar presence of the two primary geostrategic opponents. "We need to jointly prepare for prolonged strategic rivalry with China," he stated, identifying "cyberspace, artificial intelligence and biotechnology" as the new domains for competition. He made the case for standing up to Russia, specifically mentioning the need to respond to the SolarWinds attack on federal and corporate computer networks. Biden emphasized the importance of addressing Russian hacking in the US, Europe, and worldwide to protect collective security. While he did not discuss how to hold Russia accountable without escalating tensions, a White House cyberofficial mentioned that they are still studying the extent of the intrusion and struggling to find options to make Putin pay for the attack. The focus shifted to Biden's interaction with Macron, who has been critical of NATO and questioned its relevance since the end of the Warsaw Pact. Macron is advocating for NATO to become more of a political entity where European members have equal status to the United States and are less dominated by American decision-making. He believes that a more autonomous Europe would strengthen NATO, and wants Europe to take more responsibility for its own security by increasing defense spending. However, many European states are reluctant to spend more on defense, and Central and Eastern European nations prefer to rely on the United States for security. Macron also suggests that NATO should engage in dialogue with Russia, despite Russia's lack of interest in improving relations as long as sanctions remain in place following its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Macron emphasized the need for Europe to become more self-reliant in terms of defense and technology, as he believes the continent can no longer rely as heavily on the United States. He acknowledged that it will take time for Europe to strengthen its defense capabilities, but he is determined to start the process now. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, also emphasized the importance of increasing the European Union's technological capacities to reduce its reliance on American and Chinese supply chains. Biden aims to strengthen supply chains with Western allies to reduce Chinese influence, proposing a joint project for European and American tech companies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the challenges of managing relations with China, recognizing its importance as both a competitor and partner for the West. She stated that Russia consistently involves European Union members in hybrid conflicts. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a trans-Atlantic approach towards Russia that includes cooperative gestures while clearly addressing differences. During the meeting, Biden pledged to fulfill a $4 billion donation towards expediting the production and distribution of coronavirus vaccines globally, a decision supported by both Democrats and Republicans last year. Macron emphasized the EU's focus on Africa and urged Western nations to donate 13 million vaccine doses to African governments promptly to protect healthcare workers. He warned that failure to do so could lead African countries to seek vaccines from other sources. Macron stated that vaccine donations would demonstrate a shared commitment to progress and shared values. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the WHO also urged countries and drugmakers to accelerate vaccine manufacturing and distribution globally to avoid leaving some countries behind and potentially starting over from the beginning. Tedros stated at the Munich conference that ensuring fair distribution of vaccines is not only morally correct, but also the most sensible approach. He emphasized that delaying the vaccination of populations in all countries would prolong the pandemic's uncontrolled spread.