President Biden is preparing to take a tough approach with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he will meet in person on Wednesday in Geneva.
In comments on Monday, Biden insisted he is “not looking for conflict with Russia,” but his administration’s policies do not reflect that. Since coming into office, Biden has imposed a wide array of sanctions on Russia, expelled Russian diplomats, sent military shipments to Ukraine, and sailed warships into the Black Sea.
Most of the US action against Russia is framed as retaliation for “Russian aggression.” But the US always fails to provide evidence for the things it accuses Russia of doing, like the hack of the software company SolarWinds.
In an interview with NBC that aired Monday, Putin pointed out the lack of evidence for most US accusations against Russia. “Where is the evidence? Where is the proof? It’s becoming farcical,” he said.
Speaking after a NATO summit in Brussels, Biden threatened a response if the alleged activity from Russia continues. “We will respond if Russia continues its harmful activities and that we will not fail to defend the Transatlantic Alliance or stand up for democratic values,” he said.
World leaders typically hold joint press conferences after meetings, but on Saturday, US officials said Biden and Putin would not be holding one after the summit. Biden will speak to the press alone. The idea is that the Biden administration wants to avoid a repeat of the 2018 Helsinki summit when President Trump downplayed claims of Russian election interference.
The White House has been downplaying expectations for the summit. “We’re not expecting to have a huge outcome from this,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week.
One thing Biden and Putin agree on is that US-Russia relations are at their lowest point in decades. Despite the dangerous path the world’s largest nuclear-armed powers are on, the Biden administration doesn’t seem interested in a diplomatic breakthrough.
An area where Biden has said he’s willing to work with Putin is on arms control. Besides agreeing to extend New START, Biden has not made any progress in arms control. His administration recently informed Russia that the US would not rejoin Open Skies, a mutual surveillance treaty the Trump administration withdrew from last year.
Putin: “It’s becoming farcical…” I totally disagree with Putin. It is already and has been farcical for as long as I can remember. I also dreamt that Putin brought a flyswatter with him to the meeting to use every time Biden said, “democratic values.” First of all, it’s “environmentally friendly.” Second, it’s still ok to dream–right?
Your right, but that (fools, clowns, and crooks in high places) could be exactly the setup for the worst horror in history.
When Jimmy Carter became President he went thru a course of spiritual exercises to prepare himself if he ever had to give the order to launch. I have no faith this necessity has ever occurred to Biden. The magnitude and implications are as lost on him as on a four year old playing soldier.
Carter was 53 and senile when he was elected.
What a joke ….
I expect a public one-on-one exchange between Biden and Putin would be worthy of a pay-per-view WWE smackdown. Putin is so far above Biden’s league it’s not even funny. Is there any way Putin can be elected as our President as well as Russia’s? Just for a couple of terms? We need help.
I couldn’t agree more.
I’ll take Tulsi over either.
I was disappointed when Tulsi dropped out and supported Biden.
So was I. I think I have an affinity for women candidates. Stein, Stein and Jorgensen have gotten my last three votes.
NPR had Madalain Albright on yesterday, and in the interview said that Russia is alone, but Biden has NATO, I suppose implying that Putin would be easy to pressure, perhaps, push around… BUT apparently forgetting that China who the U.S. has been demonizing ad Nauseum ever since Trump wasn’t able to roll him and Biden has continued on to diss & hector… may take the opportunity to join Russia & to let Biden know Russia won’t be alone at all. Who would You rather have in your corner, all the NATO mostly Knomebodys or China, and perhaps North Korea and likely Iran. It’s a terrible prospect, but do you really think that China won’t step up if the U.S. goes Full Monty for Russia…? China would be very quickly be NEXT, and you can be sure they know it too. Remember, the last time U.S. started talking really tough to China, some Chinese general said to the U.S., you would not want to lose LA would you? Things quited down after.
Perhaps it’s better to have them let off their resentments in public or in meetings so as to not blow their tops in private.
I wonder what Bianca thinks about this meeting…