Outgoing US President Joe Biden on Monday delivered his final foreign policy address at the State Department in Washington, one week before handing power to his Republican successor, Donald Trump.

Biden's speech addressed everything from his work to forge stronger American alliances to his administration's policies towards Ukraine and China.

"Compared to four years ago, America is stronger, our alliances are stronger, our adversaries and rivals are weaker," Biden said after diplomats gave him a standing ovation.

The president said that he is "leaving the next administration with a very strong hand to play," with "an America that once again is leading, uniting countries, setting the agenda, bringing others together behind our plans and missions." 

Gaza ceasefire 'on the brink'

Biden says a ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war is "on the brink" of being finalized.

His administration, which has provided Israel with billions of dollars worth of arms aid since the October 7, 2023, attacks, is "pressing hard" to close the deal.

"The deal we have (…) would free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel, and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started," Biden said.

NATO allies paying 'fair share'

Over the past four years, the president helped restore US relations with NATO countries that had become strained under Trump.

Biden said partners in the NATO military alliance are "paying their fair share" — a stance Trump does not share.

"Before I took office, nine NATO allies are spending 2% of the GDP on defense. Now, 23 are spending 2%," he added.

War in Ukraine

Biden also hailed his success in preventing Russia from a swift takeover of Ukraine after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin "invaded Ukraine, he thought he (could) conquer
Kyiv in a matter of days. The truth is, since that war began, I'm the only one that stood in the center of Kyiv, not him," the president said.

China 'will never surpass us'

The president said the US would remain the world's dominant power.

"According to the latest predictions, on China's current course they will never surpass us," said Biden.

He also mentioned his administration's export rules on advanced computer chips used in artificial intelligence.The new framework would prevent advanced technology from being sent to rivals like China.

US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

During Biden's four years as president, the US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan after 20 years.

Biden called himself "the first president in decades who's not leaving a war in Afghanistan to a successor."

The country "got Bin Laden during the Obama-Biden administration" and "the primary objective of war had been accomplished."

"And I believe that going forward, the primary threat of al-Qaida would no longer be emanating from Afghanistan, but from elsewhere. And so we not need to station sizable number of American forces in Afghanistan," he added.

Rejoining Paris climate agreement

The US also reentered the Paris climate agreement during Biden's presidency.

During his last foreign policy speech, Biden also said climate change skeptics in Trump's incoming administration are "dead wrong."

Climate change is "the single greatest existential threat to humanity," he added.

Biden said his country must "win" the clean energy contest against China.

Trump will assume the US presidency on January 20.

ess/jsi (Reuters, AFP)