Biden pledges strong commitment to NATO, respect for allies

Joe Biden is not unknown on the international stage and has long been a supporter of NATO's voice and other multinational alliances as a pillar of national security in the United States. He served as vice president with President Barack Obama from 2009-2017.

Mr. Biden previously served as Senator from the Delaware State from 1973-09. He was a longtime member of the mighty Foreign Relations Commission serving twice as chairman of this panel.

But Europe cannot stay united without the United States”, it declared in the American Senate.

He supported the US and NATO intervention in Bosnia in 1994.

During the 2016 presidential race, then Republican candidate Donald Trump sharply criticised NATO, and outgoing Vice President Beden sought to secure allies in the Baltic that the United States would always protect in the event of attack.

I want to make it absolutely clear to all the people in the Baltic states; we have pledged it with our sacred honor of the United States of America, the NATO treaty and Article 5”, said Joe Biden, in that period vice president of the United States.

As president, Donald Trump has constantly focused on financial costs for the US for NATO support, complaining that Germany and other NATO members are not doing their best to pay more than 2 per cent of their gross domestic protection product.

“You know, the United States is a... leading NATO participant. We pay more than anyone else for many, many years. So we protect Europe. But Europe also exceptionally exploits the United States in trade; an incredible use of”, President Donald Trump said.

Analysts say Donald Trump is the first American president since Harry Truman, who cast doubt on the value of national security alliances. Ivo Daalder is the former American ambassador to NATO.

“... He has often explained that not only do he feel that Europeans are not doing enough but that the day may come that the United States no longer wants to be part of such an organization. And this prospect has greatly damaged the alliance. She's got allies in Europe say: “Can we really believe the United States?

Other analysts say that despite President Trump's remarks criticising NATO European allies and praising Russia, his administration has continued to support NATO and in some respects has gone further than President Obama's administration to counter Moscow, for example, giving anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.

Bradley Bowman, who advised Republican senators on foreign policy, speaks of what he expects the Biden presidency to represent.

You will see continued emphasis on encouraging our European and NATO allies to make the necessary investments in defence. And not only about how much they invest, but how they add real capacities to”, says Bradley Bowman, of the Foundation for the Protection of Democracy.

Daalder and Bowman both say, from a closer review, that they would expect a completely different tone towards NATO allies, if it is resolved/ VOA.