U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is concerned that the Donald Trump administration may abandon key aspects of Joe Biden's foreign policy, particularly regarding the Middle East and Ukraine.
In an interview with Associated Press on his last working day, Blinken stated that there are reasons to worry that the new administration might not implement the initiatives that Biden's team introduced to end the war in Gaza, assist Ukraine in freeing itself from Russian interference, and maintain strong alliances with key partners.
"When we came in, we inherited partnerships and alliances that were severely battered. So if the past is a prologue, yes, that would be cause for concern," he noted.
Blinken mentioned that he is not aware of the Trump team's approaches, but believes that "in certain areas there can be, and I think there should be, real continuity."
As AP reminds, Donald Trump is skeptical about U.S. alliances, including NATO and defense partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region. Trump has also criticized U.S. military aid to Ukraine and praised Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, Blinken expressed regret that the Biden administration has been distracted from its central foreign policy priorities due to global events, including the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the crisis in the Gaza Strip, all of which have taken time and energy away from achieving key objectives, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
"This is not what we wanted or expected to focus on," he said.
Blinken also asserted that throughout these events, his team has been striving to work in America's interests.
"I hope that the benefits are such and so obvious that future administrations will continue them one way or another," he stated.
Antony Blinken - Statements
Previously, Blinken mentioned that Joe Biden is preparing for Donald Trump strong positions regarding Ukraine.
He also expressed confidence that Donald Trump could strike a 'good deal' for Ukraine. In his view, the Trump administration will work towards a "good" and "strong" peace agreement.