The international liberal order prospects for the transatlantic partnership under Biden’s administration

Abstract

In recent years, new security challenges, risks and threats have emerged (including the increasing competitiveness of China and assertiveness of Russia), while domestic political, economic and societal changes have shifted priorities and policies both in the US and in Europe. Under these circumstances, the global security environment has dramatically changed, with the very stability of the liberal world order, established at the end of the Cold War, being at stake. The relationship between the world order and the transatlantic partnership is one of inter-dependency: on one hand, the partnership contributed to the establishment of the current world order and is vital to preserving it, or rather to rebuilding it so that it continues to reflect the Western community’s core values and protect its strategic interests; on the other hand, it is itself shaped by the changes taking place in the world order. To determine the current status and role of the transatlantic partnership, as well as its prospects under the Biden administration (and beyond) I analyse the new security environment, the challenges it raises for the US and Europe and the divergences they generate, and I assess the relative position of the main actors in the new multi-polar system that is beginning to take shape.