JOSEPH R. BIDEN, President of the United States, recalling his meeting with a small group of American and Vietnamese veterans, said that, despite the painful legacy of war, “history does not need to dictate our future”. Overwhelming challenges can be resolved and deep wounds can heal if the international community chooses to stand together and recognize the common hopes that bind all humanity.  In this context, he highlighted the duty of the United States to work with countries in every region, ensuring that everyone has access to health care, the environment is protected and conflicts are resolved peacefully.  The United States seeks a more secure, prosperous and equitable world for all people, he said, adding:  “we know that our future is bound to yours” and no nation can meet the challenges of today alone.  By working together, the world made some remarkable and undeniable progress:  “We avoided the renewal of a global conflict while lifting more than 1 billion people out of extreme poverty,” he said.

He further underscored the need to make sure that “we are delivering for people everywhere, not just somewhere”.  This challenge starts with the United Nations, “it starts right here, in this room,” he said, voicing support for expanding the Security Council and increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent members. Turning to the situation in Haiti, he spotlighted breakthroughs on hard issues, stressing that “people of Haiti cannot wait much longer”.  He also drew attention to his country’s significant efforts to reform and scale up the World Bank, expanding its financing to lower-middle-income countries, and to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO).  Stressing the need to forge new partnerships and confront new challenges, he said that technologies such as artificial intelligence represent both potential and peril and policies must be put into place to ensure their safety.  “It is important to govern technologies, not the other way around, for them to govern us,” he added.

Additionally, the United States convened the Summit for Democracy to strengthen democratic institutions, root out corruption and reject political violence, he said, also reiterating his country’s commitment to stand with the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).  The plan — outlined at the G20 — to connect India to Europe through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, is part of efforts to build a more sustainable, integrated Middle East.  Turning to China, he said:  “We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict.  I’ve said we are for de-risking, not decoupling on China.”  Also, he continued, “we will push back on aggression and intimidation and defend the rules of the road, the freedom of navigation”. Further, it is critical to de-accelerate the climate crisis, he said, sounding alarm over the wildfires ravaging North America and Southern Europe, the drought in the Horn of Africa and the tragic flooding in Libya.  Accordingly, he stressed the need to move the global economy towards clean energy, help developing countries reach their climate goals and increase investment in the public and private sectors.

Highlighting efforts by the United States to reduce the threat of mass destruction, he called for de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and stressed that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons. However, for the second year in a row, efforts dedicated to peaceful resolution of conflict are darkened by the shadow of war — an illegal war of conquest brought without provocation by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.  The United States strongly supports Ukraine in its efforts to bring about a diplomatic resolution to just and lasting peace, he emphasized, noting: “Russia alone bears responsibility for this war; Russia alone has the power to end this war immediately; and it’s Russia alone that stands in the way of peace.”  Moscow believes that the world will grow weary, allowing it to brutalize Ukraine without consequence.  “If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?  I respectfully suggest the answer is no.  We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” he asserted.  “That’s why the United States — together with our allies and partners around the world — will continue to stand with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity and their freedom,” he said. In closing, he said “we will be judged by […] all those who inherit the world we create”, underlining the need to preserve the planet, to protect human dignity and to provide opportunity for people everywhere.