12.06.2021 – 09:17
Call it the long-awaited end of Zoom diplomacy.
Four months ago, President Biden held his first home meeting with a world leader, talking to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the only possible way during a pandemic: a video call from Roosevelt’s room at the White House.
More conversations at Zoom followed: a virtual meeting of a group known as the Quad, which includes the president, along with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan; and then a global climate summit “hosted” by Biden but developed the “Brady Bunch” style, with leaders set on the big screens.
But this week, it all ended.
Biden crossed the Atlantic for an eight-day personal round of private confrontations.
On Thursday, he met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. And on Friday he attended the first day of a Group of 7 meeting with the leaders of the world’s richest nations, the first personal meeting of its kind in more than 15 months.
On Wednesday, he will face Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I do not think it is possible to overestimate the importance of face-to-face diplomacy,” said Madeleine Albright, who served as secretary of state under President Bill Clinton.
For Biden, who built his career based on the kind of personal interactions that are at the heart of international summits like the G7, change is particularly welcome.
The meetings are back and this was no exception at the Group 7 summit, where the leaders met face to face for the first time in more than a year.
Their greetings included touching the elbows and shaking hands.
This cannot be said for all presidents.
And just holding a summit in person alone does not guarantee good relations between leaders, as President Donald J. Trump testified during his tenure.
His presence at global meetings, including several G7s, caused shock and confrontation as he clashed with America’s allies.
At the G7 in Quebec City in 2018, Trump refused to sign the leaders’ statement, calling Trudeau “very dishonest and weak” and angry at everyone – as captured by a photo showing him with his arms crossed over his chest, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel leaning on a table with other European leaders standing nearby.
But for Biden, it is different.
Merkel, Trudeau and other world leaders agree with Biden, even if their nations sometimes clash over certain issues.
Biden appeared relaxed and happy to be in the presence of his colleagues on the world stage.
“Everyone in the water,” he said – apparently joking.
Translated and adapted by The New York Times / konica.al
