International summit: G20 in Rio: Biden’s slow departure from the world stage

At what will probably be his last G20 summit as US President, Joe Biden is beginning his departure from the international stage and working on his political legacy. He urgently appealed to the heads of state and government of leading economic powers not to let up in their support for Ukraine. “The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. I believe everyone else at this table should do the same,” Biden said just two months before Donald Trump entered the White House. US media had previously reported that Biden would allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against certain targets in Russia.

Biden also commented on the situation in Gaza in what was probably his last major appearance on the international stage. “Israel has the right to defend itself after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust,” said the outgoing US president. But how it defends itself – even if the Islamist Hamas hides cruelly among civilians – is of great importance. Biden assured that the US was continuing to work on an agreement for a ceasefire. “I ask everyone present to increase the pressure on Hamas, which is currently rejecting this agreement.”

No public appearances outside of the summit program in Rio

Both the war in Ukraine and the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war, have shaped and overshadowed the Democrat’s presidency. For Biden, the summit is now the beginning of his withdrawal from world politics. However, the president is holding back from making appearances outside of the summit program. Before the summit in Brazil, Biden visited the Amazon and gave a short speech. There is no press conference scheduled in Rio.

The president will instead travel back to Washington this afternoon (local time) after lunch with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He celebrates his 82nd birthday on Wednesday. He withdrew from the presidential race in the summer after doubts about his mental health. His deputy Kamala Harris ultimately lost in the US election two weeks ago to the Republican Trump, who is likely to reverse many of Biden’s achievements.

Biden is working on legacy

When he arrived at the summit, the US President briefly caused confusion because, like most others, he did not walk up a relatively long and slightly steep ramp to greet Brazil’s President Lula. Instead, he opted for an internal entrance to get to the higher floor. The White House subsequently emphasized that this was due to security concerns. When Biden was still the Democratic presidential candidate, every appearance by the US president that his own doctor described as having a “stiff gait” was scrutinized. Every stumble or awkward step was broadcast up and down on the TV.

This burden has now been somewhat lifted from the outgoing US President. Instead, in his final months in office, he is trying to work on his legacy. When Biden moved into the White House in January 2021, he had a message: The USA is back. His predecessor Trump had broken a lot of porcelain, Biden picked up the pieces again: Biden assured his partners that they could rely on the USA – he aggressively stood behind NATO and emphasized the high priority of international alliances. From January, however, Trump is likely to rely again on bilateral alliances and an “America First” policy.