The message behind US President Biden’s European trip

According to CNN, US President Joe Biden departed on March 23 (Washington time) to make one of the most interesting trips in recent times, a time for the US President to take the reins of the leadership of a strategic alliance. Western unity, new unity. When he left the White House, Mr. Biden appeared intent on using his visit to Europe to send messages.

In Europe, Mr. Biden will attend emergency summits of NATO, the European Union (EU) and the G7 Group, demonstrating cooperation in sanctioning Russia and providing assistance to Ukraine. At his next stop in Poland, Mr. Biden focused on the massive evacuation crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as on reassuring allies on NATO’s eastern edge.

For President Biden, the talks are an opportunity to demonstrate the foreign policy priorities he pledged during the campaign, with restoring US leadership and mending alliances. cracked.

But the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is seen by many as one of the big challenges for Mr. Biden. A challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, delivered last week in an online address to the US Congress, is casting a shadow over Mr Biden’s trip: “Being the leader of the world means what it means to be a leader of the world. is to be a leader of peace”.

The White House has ruled out Mr Biden’s visit to Kiev after Ukraine’s leaders said it would become a powerful symbol amid the conflict. Instead, Mr. Biden will demonstrate his most direct efforts, holding talks with his counterparts at a crucial moment of crisis to unify the Western coalition.

Among the topics Western leaders will discuss is how to respond if Russia decides to use nuclear or chemical weapons or launch a large-scale cyber attack. When asked about the risk of chemical warfare when leaving the White House, the US President said it was “a real threat”.

In addition, Mr. Biden also wants to push allies to take action against Russia during this European visit. After a packed schedule of talks, the US leader is expected to announce a number of actions together with partners: new sanctions against Russia, restrictions on oil and gas revenues, or new announcements of military or financial assistance to Ukraine.

Biden plans to impose sanctions this week on hundreds of Russians serving in the country’s lower legislature, a US official said.

Prior to Biden’s trip to Brussels, the Pentagon offered the White House a range of options to add more U.S. troops in Eastern Europe, the official said. Mr. Biden could announce changes to the game and the layout of forces after the meeting on March 24, although that still depends on negotiations with allies.

At the summit, NATO leaders will approve the deployment of four more combat units in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said on March 23. Speaking at an Atlantic Council event, Ms. Smith further noted that NATO will discuss a force presence on the bloc’s eastern flank in the medium to long term.

The day before Mr Biden’s trip to Europe, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US President will make a series of new announcements, including “a joint action to increase security” energy and reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian gas in the long run” as well as “adjustments to the posture of NATO forces on the eastern flank”.

President Biden will also make further human rights commitments “in response to the growing influx of refugees” from Ukraine.

“One of the key elements of President Biden’s new announcement will focus not only on adding new sanctions, but also on ensuring that there is a collective effort to prevent evasive behavior. circumvent the sanctions by any effort by any country that wants to assist Russia to essentially weaken the sanctions,” Sullivan said.

But Western leaders also face limitations in their measures against Russia. Mr. Biden and his Western allies have ruled out deploying their forces in Ukraine, wary of getting directly involved in the conflict. They have rejected calls by Ukrainian President Zelensky to establish a no-fly zone or provide fighter jets.

Even a Polish proposal to set up an international peacekeeping force in Ukraine, which Warsaw is expected to raise at a meeting on March 24, has been met with skepticism from US officials, saying that Mr. Biden opposes any scenario where US troops directly clash with the Russian side.