Mr. Biden’s critics say he has no one to blame for his diplomatic challenges in Europe but himself for his inconsistent approach to international crises.
“I think the contradiction is in U.S. policy,” said Peter Rough, director of the Center for Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute and a former assistant to President George W. Bush. “In Ukraine, he supports Ukraine against the Russian-Iranian alliance, while in Gaza he is managing Israel, even restricting Israel as it confronts Iranian proxies.”
On the other side of the spectrum, some veteran foreign policy experts say Mr. Biden has gotten himself into trouble by being too supportive of Israel.
Eric Rubin, a longtime US diplomat and former US president, said: “I am not at all certain that Biden has made the right choices on the Israel-Gaza issue, although I admit that He is in a difficult situation, as is our country.” Foreign Service Association. “Israel has lost the sympathy of most other countries and their people, and I worry that we will not see it regained in our lifetime.”
But in the end, some diplomats say, France and other allies will eventually defer to the United States when it comes to such issues. And although they can be found on different sites, Mr. Biden still enjoys a constructive relationship with his colleagues, unlike his predecessor and possible successor Donald J. Trump , who has criticized European allies over their disagreements and made them fearful of his possible return to America. office.
“The United States still plays an indispensable role,” Mr. Daalder said. “People are looking to us to figure out how we deal with Russia, how we deal with China and, frankly, even how we deal with Israel. We are still seen by friends and opponents as the ones who will decide the outcome.”
