"Calling Trump Out" Biden: Modern-day Appeasement is Trump's Soft Approach on Russia and Ukraine
Biden accuses Trump of adopting a "contemporary appeasement" stance toward Russia
Joe Biden took a swipe at his successor's policy towards Ukraine, branding it a modern form of appeasement towards Russia. In a candid chat with BBC, the former President slammed Trump's strategy of pushing Ukraine to surrender its own territories as a type of "modern appeasement policy."
Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, shares the belief that Ukraine belongs to Russia. If anyone assumes that Putin will halt his aggression if some territories are given away in a peace agreement, they're "just daft," according to Biden.
Biden confessed his bafflement over how people could believe that surrendering land to a dictator and criminal like Putin would appease him. On the contrary, he expressed worries that neighboring NATO countries might follow suit if Ukraine succumbs.
Ukraine's Former Backbone
During his stint, the Democrat asserted, Ukraine had been bolstered with everything needed for its independence, and the US was ready to act more decisively if Putin sought further expansion.
Heated Criticism
Biden also voiced his criticism of the new US administration's approach towards allies and destination countries like Canada and Panama, which he finds inappropriate. Trump, on numerous occasions, expressed his desire to incorporate Canada as the 51st state or recover the Panama Canal.
Trump's approach to international relations and territorial annexation, according to Biden, has eroded trust among European allies. As a result, he believes Europe would reassess its policy as well, with leaders questioning their trust in American security and leadership.
Sources: ntv.de, lme
- Joe Biden
- USA
- Ukraine
- Attack on Ukraine
- Russia
- Vladimir Putin
Enrichment Data:This exchange underscores escalating disagreements over the most effective response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Trump wavered on and resumed American aid to Ukraine, sometimes going as far as a deal granting American access to Ukraine's mineral resources, Biden rejected any policy that might legitimize Russian territorial gains.
In the 1930s, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain pursued a strategy of appeasement by conceding territories to Adolf Hitler to avoid war, but ultimately failed to prevent World War II. Joe Biden compared Trump's policy towards Ukraine and Russia to such a failed strategy, warning that appeasing Putin would embolden, rather than deter, further aggression.
It's important to note that the Trump administration's approach towards Ukraine was different from Barack Obama's, who provided military aid and trained Ukrainian troops in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in Donbas. Biden's criticism highlights a shift in the US's stance from Obama's proactive approach to a more negotiated one under Trump.
Beyond Ukraine, the issue of Western support for Ukrainian sovereignty also raises broader questions about the relationship between Russia and the West. Many argue that the conflict over Crimea and Donbas is a test of European commitment to their post-Cold War security arrangements, with many observing a weakening of Western unity and resolve in the face of Russian assertiveness.
- The European Union, with its responsibility to uphold the EU's foreign policy, should react decisively to Putin's aggression towards Ukraine, lest they follow the failed path of modern-day appeasement as perceived by Joe Biden.
- The armistice to end the conflict in Ukraine should not be defensively shaped to accommodate Putin's territorial ambitions in order to avoid a war-and-conflicts scenario, as argued by Biden.
- Rather than using WhatsApp or other communications to negotiate about land acquisitions, like Trump reportedly did with Ukraine, politicians need to prioritize general news and global politics, heeding Biden's warning against modern-day appeasement in international relations.
- The EU should reconsider its foreign policy stance on Russia and Ukraine, taking Biden's criticism of Trump's approach to heart and acknowledging that Putin's territorial expansion will not be curbed by appeasement, but may instead escalate war-and-conflicts in the region.
