Five things to watch out for as Biden heads to the UN

President BidenJoe BidenCapitol’s fencing begins to drop after ‘Justice for J6′ rally Senate MP rejects Democrats’ immigration plan Biden pushes Democrats back on taxes MORE will address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday for the first time as president as world leaders meet in New York this week.

The meeting comes as Biden faces outrage from France over a new submarine deal, looming security concerns over COVID-19 and global vaccine rates, and questions about the role of United States in the world after the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Here are five things to watch out for as Biden addresses and meets his counterparts.

Are tensions in France continuing?

The Biden administration sparked a feud with one of its closest allies last week when it announced a trilateral partnership with the UK and Australia on nuclear-powered submarines.

The announcement infuriated the French, who withdrew their ambassadors from the United States and Australia after the new deal scuttled their own $ 66 billion deal with Australia.

President Biden requested a phone call with French President Emmanuel MacronEmmanuel Jean-Michel Macron Biden falters in his promise to strengthen alliances with the United Statesa senior administration official said on Monday, but none were officially planned. Macron is not attending this week’s UN meeting in person.

“The president wants to communicate his desire to work closely with France in the Indo-Pacific and around the world and talk about specific practical steps we can take together,” said the Biden official. “We understand the position of the French, we do not share their point of view on how it all developed.”

The call will focus on “reaffirming” the commitment of the United States to its partnership with France. But the administration has no plans to withdraw from the submarine deal.

Biden pledged during the 2020 campaign to restore allied confidence in U.S. leadership, but the major break with France will prove to be a test of that effort. French officials described the move as something of the former president Donald trumpDonald Trump’s fencing Capitol begins to drop after “Justice for J6” rally Netanyahu suggests Biden fell asleep during a meeting with the Israeli prime minister. already done.

How is COVID-19 hovering over the event

This week will mark the first time in two years that world leaders will meet in person for the UNGA after last year’s event was shaken by the coronavirus pandemic.

New York City health officials said ahead of the general assembly that delegates must show proof of vaccination to enter the general assembly hall. But the policy will be tested by figures like Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is open about his refusal to be vaccinated. He tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2020.

White House press secretary Jen psakiJen Psaki White House debates vaccines for air travel French Macron to talk to Biden about submarine deal Why Biden’s vaccine mandate doesn’t apply to beneficiaries of the social assistance and others? FOLLOWING said officials were taking precautions to keep Biden safe by mingling with other executives who might not be vaccinated or who had had COVID-19, but there were no plans to change his job of the time.

Biden has chosen to make the global response to the pandemic a major focus of the week’s meetings. He will summon world leaders to a virtual COVID-19 summit on Wednesday, and an administration official has hinted that the president will announce new commitments to donate vaccines to other countries.

The summit comes as some foreign leaders and global entities urge the United States not to offer callbacks to its own people as some countries still struggle to get their own people a first dose.

Biden is expected to call for global cooperation at Wednesday’s summit, stressing the need for an “all-stakeholder effort that can end this pandemic much faster than if we allowed things to unfold without the focus and the sustained energy that is needed, ”a senior administration official said.

The summit also follows the administration’s announcement that it is easing restrictions on fully vaccinated international visitors traveling to the United States in November. Travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding an airline to the United States and proof of a negative test performed within 72 hours of flight.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday he was “delighted” that Biden “is reinstating transatlantic travel so that fully vaccinated British nationals can travel to the United States”, calling the move a “tremendous boost for the United States. business and commerce ”.

Are leaders announcing new climate initiatives

President Biden has accelerated his efforts to tackle climate change, nationally by advancing his economic agenda and internationally by engaging with world leaders and joining the Paris Climate Accord.

“If you look at the biggest challenges, the highest priority issues facing the world today, you see that the United States has been deeply engaged with its allies and partners,” he said the week. last.

Friday’s Quad Leaders Summit, which includes Australia, India and Japan, will largely focus on climate change, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity and infrastructure. The very first in-person summit will be hosted by Biden at the White House.

The president practically summoned a dozen world leaders last week for the Major Economies Forum, which was launched under the Obama administration to strengthen dialogue among major economies on climate.

And Biden will have another chance to take the lead on climate change and secure commitments from other world leaders in just over a month. World leaders will meet at the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow on October 31.

Erica Barks-Ruggles, a State Department official in the Office of International Organizations Affairs, told reporters on Monday that the Secretary of State Antoine BlinkAntony BlinkenAides tries to keep Biden away from unscripted events or lengthy interviews, claims book Overnight Defense & National Security – Pentagon’s deadly mistake France draws ambassadors to US and Australia to protest deal on PLUS submarines and other officials will push international leaders “to make ambitious commitments to tackle climate change.”

“The United States is leading by example. We are committed to dramatically reducing emissions and achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as previously announced. We will strongly encourage other countries to commit to keeping the target – respecting the target of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, ”said Barks-Ruggles.

What are the fallout in Afghanistan?

The spotlight will be on Biden on the world stage regarding the situation in Afghanistan, following the chaotic withdrawal of US troops from the country.

Biden will attend an Afghanistan-focused meeting on Wednesday, and White House officials said on Monday that the United States is committed to ensuring that the United Nations and its partners provide humanitarian assistance to the country. He said the United States was also working with other countries to make sure the Taliban live up to their commitments.

The summit follows the Pentagon on Friday confirming that a drone strike in Kabul killed 10 civilians when it mistook a civilian vehicle for an ISIS-K threat. US Central Command chief General Frank McKenzie called the strike a “tragic mistake” and said those who died were unlikely to be associated with ISIS-K or a direct threat to states. -United.

British officials reacted with outrage amid the chaos caused by the withdrawal of Allied forces from Afghanistan after the United States pledged to withdraw its military from the country by August 31, and other allies have criticized the Biden administration for acting unilaterally.

The president will seek to turn the page on common challenges like China, the pandemic and climate change. A senior administration official said Biden’s main speech on Tuesday “will center on the proposition that we close the chapter on 20 years of war and open a chapter of intensive diplomacy.”

Biden seeks to reset foreign policy priorities

Biden will attend a number of solo meetings this week that mirror the White House’s efforts to solidify new alliances in a bid to pivot its foreign policy toward China.

Biden will host Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide while they are in the United States for the United Nations meeting.

The president’s meeting with Modi is his first face-to-face meeting with the leader. They are expected to discuss steps the two countries can take to find a global solution to COVID-19, as well as actions to address the climate crisis, the fight against terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres called on the United States and China to restore their relationship, calling it “completely dysfunctional” in a recent interview with the Associated Press. He said the two countries should cooperate on climate and negotiate on trade and technology issues.

“Unfortunately today we only have one showdown,” Gutterres said. “We need to reestablish a functional relationship between the two powers. ”

Psaki told reporters on Monday that the president would make it “absolutely clear” that he was not interested in a new Cold War when asked about the Gutterres interview.

A senior administration official ignored the suggestion that Biden had gone through a difficult period in foreign policy given the withdrawal from Afghanistan and tensions with France.

“If you look at all of Biden’s foreign policy and how we’ve worked on the big issues and done a lot of things in coordination, consultation and joint action with allies and partners, then you look at the months ahead. and what is on the agenda and where we are going, the president feels very good about the way forward, ”the official said.