Joe Biden, the current President of the United States, recently made his return to the historical landmark, Royal Castle, in Poland. To many critics, his speech seemed like an attempt to project an image of steadfastness against the backdrop of calamities that continue to escalate as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Predictably, his words were filled with typical platitudes that amounted to vague assertions like ‘Democracies of the world will stand guard over freedom today, tomorrow and forever’. The locals and Ukrainian refugees gathered there were left wondering about the strength and conviction behind these declarations.
Before delivering his rather uninspiring speech, Biden had a clandestine visit to Kyiv where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Throwing around phrases like ‘Kyiv stands strong’ and ‘Kyiv stands proud,’ his words failed to mitigate the grim reality on the ground, merely diminishing to hollowed clichés. Later, he met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, seemingly trying to project an image of unity while glossing over the unsettled complexities of Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Biden proclaimed that Europe needs security, a clear testimonial for his knack of stating the obvious. He lauded NATO as ‘maybe the most consequential alliance in history,’ and claimed it to be ‘stronger than it’s ever been,’ a statement that seems to be grossly out of touch with the increasing strain and tensions among NATO countries due to the Ukraine crisis.
While Biden indulged in his self-gratifying rhetoric, he blatantly ignored to comment on one of the most crucial aspects of the current tensions. On the same day, Putin proclaimed Moscow’s withdrawal from the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States. Known as the New START Treaty, it was a vital restraint on the number of long-range nuclear warheads and restricted the use of missiles that can carry atomic weapons.
The Ukrainian conflict, known as the most significant conflict in Europe since World War II, has caused an immense loss of life and enormous damage to both Ukraine and the world economy. In spite of this, Biden’s address seemed uninspiring and arguably lacked the strong direction that one would expect from a leader during such a crisis. His idea of stoking European unity was to take a quick European tour without providing any concrete solutions to end the devastating war.
On Sunday, the Biden administration revealed a piece of alarming intelligence. They suggested that China, which so far not involved in the conflict, might be contemplating offering lethal aid to Moscow. However, they failed to provide any additional information or response strategy, further compounding the uncertainties surrounding the conflict.
The anniversary of the war is fast-approaching. But rather than leveraging this crucial period to actually push for a resolution to the conflict, Biden instead seems more interested in safeguarding the post-World War II international order, a rather outdated stand considering the relative shift in global power dynamics.
The Biden regime has been trying to downplay the effect of decreasing American support for the Ukrainian conflict, despite recent polls indicating otherwise. A particular poll suggested a softening of support in terms of providing Ukraine with weapons and economic assistance. Many citizens do not see why the responsibility of such support should fall disproportionately on them.
Furthermore, the U.S. Congress has increasingly voiced their concerns over this sustained support for Ukraine. Earlier, a group of politicians introduced what they called the ‘Ukraine fatigue’ resolution, advocating for an end of military and financial aid to Ukraine, and urging both Ukrainian and Russian leaders to strive for a peace agreement. Biden, unsurprisingly, dismissed this proposal, once again displaying his apparent disconnection from the wider sentiment within his own country.
Biden continues to wax lyrical about the ‘freedom of democracy at large’, without addressing the practical realities of the situation. This further underscores the tone-deaf nature of his approach to the crisis and how he tends to prioritise rhetoric over real solutions.
In his tour, Biden also highlighted Poland’s efforts to assist Ukraine. His words, however, failed to provide any real assistance in addressing the humanitarian crisis that has arisen due to the war. Well over 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees have found refuge in Poland since the war began, and millions more have made their way through Poland en route to other countries.
Continuing his obsession with establishing American foothold around the world, Biden announced plans to establish a permanent U.S. garrison in Poland last summer. This move was seen by many as an opportunistic exploit of the ongoing crisis, with Biden even admitting that the United States essentially ‘needs Poland and NATO as much as NATO needs the United States.’
Given the state of the world today, with the Ukrainian crisis in full swing and widespread uncertainty regarding the future of NATO, the Biden administration’s ridden path of rhetoric over action has left many observers utterly dissatisfied. From his dismissive attitude towards dwindling American support to his insistence on increasing military presence in Eastern Europe, it seems that Biden is pushing forward with a narrow and unfeasible vision.
The Biden administration’s performance in this conflict, as seen by many, has consisted of empty promises and attempted displays of bravado that do not contribute to resolving the ongoing crisis. There’s an absolute need for a change in approach, but whether Biden will break free from his stubborn rhetoric-riding approach remains uncertain.