State of the Union: What did the world think of Biden’s big speech?

Joe Biden’s annual address to Congress focused on foreign policy, emphasizing America’s involvement in conflicts around the world. So how was his speech received in those places?

It is noteworthy that the president chose to discuss Ukraine at the beginning of his State of the Union address. He then spent a few minutes talking about the Israel-Hamas war, and ended by talking about “standing up” to China.

We asked three BBC correspondents to analyze his comments in each area.

Sarah Rainsford, Eastern Europe Correspondent

A year before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Biden infuriated the Kremlin by agreeing to an interview in which he said President Vladimir Putin was a “killer.” Three years later, Biden is now comparing him to Adolf Hitler.

In his State of the Union address, he noted that Hitler was “on the march” in Europe in 1941, and later said the Russian leader himself was “on the march” and that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine meant I warned him not to stop.

In his speech, he said his message to President Putin was simple. “We will not bow down.”

Russia’s leader falsely claims that the invasion of Ukraine was aimed at “de-Nazification” of neighboring Russia, elevating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Hitler in World War II to near-cult status. . Therefore, Moscow will not like this comparison at all.

But Biden wasn’t just referring to Russia. He emphasized the urgent need for the United States to continue supporting Ukraine as it fights to defend itself, and called on Congress to lift the block on legislation that would release needed funds to Kyiv.

I heard Ukrainian politicians and analysts describe the loss of U.S. financial support as “devastating.” The delays are already causing damage, forcing soldiers to ration ammunition at the front.

Just as Moscow is wise to draw comparisons to Nazi Germany, Ukraine will welcome a State of the Union address that begins with a rallying cry for democracy and support for Kiev. President Biden said the United States is not “going away.”

Words like these are important and I appreciate them. But similar calls have been made before, each time with Ukraine losing more territory and more soldiers.

Laura Vicker, China correspondent

It is difficult to know which candidate China will prefer, as it closely monitors the divisiveness displayed in Washington during the State of the Union address.

The contrast with its own rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress, is striking. This week, nearly 3,000 delegates will gather in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People to watch speeches with silent nods, reverent silence, and the unwavering approval of Communist Party elites.

There is a certain amount of anxiety in China’s business community, and President Biden believes it is necessary to demonstrate how tough he will be against China. He has said he wants “competition, not confrontation” with China, but business leaders may wonder what form that competition will take.

He has already expanded sanctions against China on a range of issues, from human rights abuses to relations with Russia. Relations are also strained over China’s actions in disputed areas of the South China Sea, military threats against Taiwan, and escalating technology competition.

Beijing is unlikely to view Biden’s competitors as more likely. Donald Trump launched a trade war with China during his presidency, recently threatening to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods if he wins in November.

But Beijing may like the idea of ​​Trump becoming president again. The Biden administration has been building alliances to counter China’s great power, vowing that the United States would protect Taiwan if China tried to seize the self-governing island by force.

Mr. Trump, by contrast, has refused to say he supports Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory.

China can exploit these differences in Washington to make it seem like a safer, longer-term diplomatic bet for countries around the world as the two countries vie for global influence.

Yolande Nel Middle East Correspondent

In his speech, President Biden called the events of the past five months “heartbreaking.”

While blaming Hamas for starting the Gaza war, he stressed the high death toll of Palestinian civilians and sought to ensure basic supplies reach the besieged area as the United Nations warned of mass starvation. sent a sharp message to Israel about the need to

“Aid must not be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives must be our top priority,” he said. The rebuke was widely covered in Israeli media on Friday morning.

Driven by domestic politics in an election year, the need to show stronger U.S. action, and deep humanitarian needs, Mr. announced plans to build a floating pier.

In many ways, this ambitious initiative – although the president was careful to say he would not involve US military activities on the ground – is a sign of frustration with a key ally.

Israel officially welcomed the plan. It has blocked the flow of aid through Ashdod, its Mediterranean container port 35 kilometers from northern Gaza, and has resisted opening more border crossings.