(VOVWORLD) - US President Joe Biden on Wednesday began his first foreign trip since taking office in January. His eight-day visit to the UK, Belgium, and Switzerland aims at strengthening transatlantic relationships, which worsened under the Donald Trump administration, and reshaping relations with Russia.
 US President Joe Biden and his wife land at RAF Mildenhall military base, the UK, June 9. Photo: AP
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Transatlantic relations
Biden told reporters the trip is about making clear that the US-Europe relations are tight.
On Thursday, he had his first in-person meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, an event seen as an opportunity to renew the special UK-US relationship, after the UK officially left the EU early this year. The two men signed a 21st-century version of the historic Atlantic Charter, which Downing Street said is modeled on the historic joint statement made by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt 80 years ago. Johnson stressed the importance of the Anglo-American alliance in dealing with shared challenges and the future of world stability and prosperity. Biden's 3-day agenda in the UK includes attending the G7 Summit.
 President Joe Biden speaks to US service personnel at RAF Mildenhall, June 9. Photo: AP
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In Belgium, President Biden is scheduled to discuss with NATO leaders the sharing of defense costs. Then, he will attend the US-EU Summit. The draft joint statement of the summit said the US and the EU are committed to strengthening cooperation on a range of issues, from responding to the Covid-19 pandemic to climate change. They are hoping to reach an agreement by mid-July with a goal of lifting tariffs that they have placed on each other’s goods by December 1, according to the statement.
Biden’s European visit is a signal that America is back to working with its closest allies, which is in stark contrast to the "America First" mantra of Donald Trump.
In the last leg of his trip, Switzerland, Biden is expected to have his first in-person meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reshaping relations with Russia
The Russia-US Summit will take place next Wednesday. It’s an opportunity for the two world powers to directly discuss problems that have strained their ties. Prior to the meeting, US officials have repeatedly stated that they want to re-establish relations with Russia. Talking on CNN on May 22, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for "a more stable, predictable relationship” with Russia. He added there are areas of cooperation that can benefit both, including Afghanistan, arms control, and climate change.
Observers say the first Russia-US summit is unlikely to achieve a big breakthrough as the Biden administration has already taken some tough actions against Russia and Moscow has responded strongly. Nevertheless, they say, the summit is important because it will determine the future direction of relations between the two world powers, regardless of the immediate outcomes.