Washington’s attempts to rebuild its network of international alliances will have one great limitation: the volatility of the country’s own political system

That changed when Biden entered the White House. The US president used his speech at the Munich conference to leave no doubt about his administration’s position on Article V. “An attack on one is an attack on all,” Biden said, and promised that his country would honor its commitment.

As president, Donald Trump disdained multilateralism, alliance-building and diplomacy, which he considered a waste of time. Instead, he prioritized the development of personal relationships with the leaders of countries such as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and North Korea. He didn’t accomplish much and, in general, US relations with many of the countries he sought to seduce deteriorated.

“America is back,” declared an excited Joe Biden. He was speaking to a group of mostly European political leaders, via video link, at the Munich Security Conference. The new president emphasized that “the transatlantic alliance is back.” Naturally, the message was well received. Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson all applauded America’s new stance. In his remarks, Biden also renewed America’s commitment to NATO’s Article V, which obliges the military alliance’s member nations to respond collectively to an attack against any one of its members. During Donald Trump’s presidency, he repeatedly refrained from publicly acknowledging that, as a member of NATO, his country would accept that obligation. Naturally, Trump’s reluctance produced a great deal of anxiety in the capitals of Europe… and glee from the Kremlin.