The Patriot Post® · Biden's Big Putin Policy Fail
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made his initial annexation plans for eastern Ukraine official this week in remarks affirming Russia’s recognition of two eastern regions on the Russia-Ukraine border. This was a significant and much-anticipated escalation of offensive actions against the former Soviet state. The Kremlin is now recognizing Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, the two Ukrainian regions that have been under the control of Russian-backed separatists since 2014 when, under the watch of the Obama/Biden regime, Putin last invaded Ukraine and seized control of Crimea.
Feckless Joe Biden, who warned of “massive consequences” if there was a “minor incursion,” was asking Putin for a meeting in an effort to stave off war — until he invaded. How does Biden define “invasion”? Maybe he figured Putin having to endure a meeting with him is a “massive consequence.” In truth, Biden is desperate to get a foreign policy win before his State of the Union Address on March 1.
The question now is, how much would Biden offer Putin in return for some semblance of a peace deal? Maybe simply accept a promise that Putin won’t annex the rest of Ukraine and neighboring ex-Soviet states?
Biden’s policy decisions paved the way for the current incursion. He lifted Donald Trump’s imposed sanctions on Russia’s pipeline construction project known as Nord Stream 2, Putin’s primary revenue pipeline into Europe. Russia’s primary export is oil and gas. Even Germany has put the kibosh on that pipeline for the time being in response to Russia’s latest actions.
Recall that Biden set up Putin for big profits, and Europe for big dependance on Russian energy, while also killing the U.S.-Canada Keystone XL pipeline project, as well as taking numerous other measures to block American energy companies from accessing more oil- and natural gas-rich territories. Thanks to all that, the U.S. is seeing energy prices skyrocket. Gas prices are at a seven-year high and are crunching Americans as part of overall inflation reaching 40-year highs. Meanwhile, Russia’s key export — energy — is flourishing in the rest of Europe, Germany notwithstanding.
“America Last” is Biden’s policy.
Biden’s even greater foreign policy blunder that has proven to invite Russia’s and China’s aggression was of course his disastrous surrender and retreat from Afghanistan. Nothing has spelled out weakness to the watching world and America’s enemies like that debacle. And maybe one of the worst parts about it is that Biden still insists it could not have been done any better. What kind of message does that project? That Biden is living in a fantasy land within his own head?
It seems clear that Putin has no intention of backing down, as the number of troops stationed on the border has only grown. Furthermore, the Kremlin is waging a misinformation campaign that seems to be having some effect. The Russians have thrown enough historical claims regarding the heritage of the region of Ukraine to plant some doubt in people’s minds as to its genuine heritage.
Most difficult for Biden is that Americans both feel betrayed by his Afghanistan decision and are tired of “unending” wars. Threatening to hold Putin accountable seems like a lot of bold talk with little real commitment to back it up. A win for Biden is to somehow keep Putin out of Ukraine without having to send in American troops.
Once again, the question is, what will Biden offer Putin for such a deal? Perhaps an agreement to permanently reject Ukraine’s desire for NATO membership, combined with an acceptance of the eastern portions of Ukraine going “independent.” Regardless, weakness invites aggression, and Biden is as weak as they come.
(Updated.)