His message emphasizing the importance of strengthening alliances and reaffirming the commitment to defending Europe was well received during the Munich Security Conference where Biden spoke from the White House. However, there was opposition, particularly from French President Emmanuel Macron, who defended his idea of "strategic autonomy" from the US, arguing that Europe should not rely too heavily on the US as it shifts focus to Asia, particularly China. Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is nearing the end of her term, tempered her praise for Biden's decision to halt the withdrawal of 12,000 US troops from the country, warning that their interests may not always align. This may refer to Germany's hesitation in confronting China, a key market for German goods, 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 gave Macron and Merkel the opportunity to welcome back Biden, whom they knew well from his time as a senator and vice president. Biden also used the meeting to emphasize the importance of a unified strategy in combatting the narrative pushed by Putin and Xi that the chaos surrounding the US election was a sign of democratic weakness and decline. Biden emphasized the importance of demonstrating that democracies can still effectively serve their citizens in today's world, stating that they must show their model is not outdated. The president, who has been a regular attendee of the Munich conference, delivered his address virtually due to the pandemic. He also participated in a video meeting with the Group of 7 allies, with an in-person summit planned for later in the year. Biden focused on moving away from Trumpism in the country's global strategy without directly mentioning his predecessor. He expressed his joy at the United States rejoining the Paris climate agreement and announced a new diplomatic initiative to engage with Iran alongside Britain, France, and Germany to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement. During an Online G7 meeting in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron participated on February 19, 2021. Instead of outlining a specific agenda, Biden focused on the fundamental principles that led to the creation of NATO and the Atlantic alliance in 1949 during the early Cold War era. The president emphasized that democracy is not something that occurs spontaneously. “We must protect it. Make it stronger. Revitalize 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 willing to fulfill its role as the key component of the alliance. “We will uphold” the commitment, he declared, emphasizing that “an assault on one is an assault on all.” However, he also urged Europe to approach challenges in a fresh manner — different from the Cold War era, despite the familiar presence of the two main geopolitical rivals. “We need to collectively prepare for prolonged strategic competition with China,” he stated, highlighting “cyberspace, artificial intelligence and biotechnology” as the new arenas for competition. He advocated for taking a strong stance against Russia, specifically in response to the SolarWinds attack on computer networks. Biden emphasized the importance of addressing Russian cyberattacks to protect collective security. The president did not discuss the challenge of punishing Russia without escalating tensions. White House officials are still assessing the extent of the Russian intrusion and struggling to develop options to hold Putin accountable. The interaction with Macron, who has criticized NATO, also drew interest. 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, with Europe taking more responsibility for its own security and increasing defense spending to rebalance the trans-Atlantic relationship. However, not all European states agree with this view, as some are unwilling to increase defense spending 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, although Russia has shown little interest in improving relations while facing international sanctions for its actions in Crimea. Macron emphasized the need for Europe to take on more responsibility for its own protection, as he believes that the United States cannot be relied upon as much as before. He acknowledged that it will take a long time for Europe to develop its own defense capabilities, but he is committed to starting the process now. Additionally, Macron aims to enhance the EU's technological capabilities in order to reduce its dependence on American and Chinese supply chains. Biden aims to strengthen supply chains among Western allies to reduce Chinese influence, proposing a joint project for technology companies in semiconductors and software. German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the challenges of navigating China's dual role as a competitor and partner for the West during a virtual summit with G7 leaders. She stated that Russia consistently involves European Union members in hybrid conflicts. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a trans-Atlantic approach towards Russia that includes cooperative gestures while also clearly addressing differences. Biden confirmed the US's commitment to donating $4 billion towards accelerating the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally. However, there were notable differences in strategy discussed during the meeting. Macron emphasized the importance of providing 13 million vaccine doses to African nations promptly to safeguard healthcare workers. He cautioned that failure to do so could lead African countries to seek vaccines from other sources. Macron stressed that vaccine donations would demonstrate a shared commitment to advancing common values. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the WHO also called for countries and drug manufacturers to expedite vaccine production and distribution globally to avoid leaving some countries behind. Tedros emphasized at the Munich conference that ensuring equal access to vaccines is not only a moral imperative but also the most strategic approach. He pointed out that delaying vaccination efforts in any country would prolong the pandemic's grip on global health.