Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden sought to put a positive spin on his foreign policy record on Monday, saying America’s adversaries are weaker than when he took office four years ago, even though some global crises remain unresolved.

In a rare State Department address a week before handing power to President-elect Donald Trump, Biden praised his administration’s support for Ukraine against a 2022 Russian invasion and Israel’s wars in the Middle East.

Biden said the U.S. is “winning the global competition” and will not be surpassed economically by China as predicted, while Russia and Iran have been weakened by wars without direct U.S. involvement.

“The United States is stronger, our alliances are stronger, and our adversaries and competitors are weaker than they were four years ago,” Biden said. “We achieved these goals without going to war.”

Despite the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, officials hope Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas can reach a deal before Biden leaves the White House on Jan. 20.

Biden said negotiators were close to a deal that would free hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and halt fighting in Gaza so that humanitarian aid could surge into Gaza.

“So many innocent people have been killed, so many communities destroyed. The Palestinian people deserve peace,” he said.

Biden has been criticized for providing weapons and diplomatic support to Israel during its crackdown on Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel in an attack that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages, according to Israeli statistics.

More than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, much of the area has been razed and much of the population has been displaced, according to Palestinian health officials.

Some protesters chanted “war criminals” outside the State Department, some held signs and some splashed red liquid that looked like blood.

Biden said he helped Israel defeat rivals such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which are backed by Iran. The US president also praised Washington’s support for Israel during two Iranian attacks in 2024.

“All in all, Iran is weaker than it has been in decades,” he added, pointing to the fall of Syria’s Assad government. “There is no doubt that our actions made a significant contribution.”