Biden defends legacy as Trump's return looms

As President Joe Biden prepares to leave office next week, he’s firmly defending his foreign policy achievements, arguing that his one-term presidency has helped restore America’s global credibility and shown the U.S. remains a key partner worldwide.

"Thanks to our administration, the United States is winning the worldwide competition. Compared to four years ago, America is stronger, our alliances are stronger, and our adversaries are weaker," Biden said.

However, Biden’s foreign policy legacy might be overshadowed, at least for now, by the prospect of Donald Trump returning to office with his protectionist views.

"And now, nearly three years later, Putin has failed to achieve any of his strategic objectives. He has failed to subjugate Ukraine, failed to break NATO's unity, and failed to make large territorial gains."

Biden also addressed the growing alliance between several authoritarian states:

"Major authoritarian states are aligning more closely: Iran, Russia, China, North Korea. But that’s more about weakness than strength. As the new administration begins, the U.S. is in a much stronger position than we were four years ago."

Next week, President-elect Donald Trump will take office. His stance on the war in Ukraine differs sharply from Biden’s, and until his inauguration, it’s unclear what direction U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine will take in the next four years.