After Donald Trump’s four-year flirtation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden is giving a new, colder tone – no doubt criticism, despite frankness about gun control.
In his first week, Biden already addressed Moscow on the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as well as the alleged burglary, election interference and abundance of American troops – but also moved quickly around New START, the forces from the Cold War, to extend. ‘last remaining nuclear reduction treaty.
Biden’s approach is almost the opposite of that of Trump, who spoke fondly of Putin but whose government tore up arms deals.
The White House last week announced a five-year extension of New START, but said at the same time that US intelligence would launch a series of investigations into Russia – including whether it was behind the massive SolarWinds cap that Trump, who was in conflict with experts, said it could be the job. of his nemesis China.
The new foreign minister, Antony Blinken, has inspired thousands of Putin’s persistent critics of Putin, whose poisoning and arrest on his return to Moscow have taken to the streets, during his first news conference.
“It remains striking to me how the Russian government is concerned and perhaps even afraid to be one man – Mr. Navalny, ‘Blinken said on Wednesday – very far from Trump in 2016 who rejoiced at how Putin was. “very nice to me.”
U.S. experts on Russia expected Biden’s opening movements to reflect a long-term line – although they also doubted how much Putin was influenced by any U.S. president, especially as he protested.
Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia group, said the US-Russia relationship “was probably the worst since the collapse of the Soviet Union”.
“The Biden government is more united on its hard message and more united with allies, and that will put a little more pressure on Putin,” he said.
– Trump attempt halted –
U.S. intelligence has found that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to support Trump, who was notoriously considering Putin’s denial during a 2018 summit in Helsinki.
But Bremmer noted that despite Trump’s kindness to Putin, everyone around the tycoon opposed warming relations with Russia, including his cabinet, Republicans in Congress and the most conservative-oriented media.
“There was no ability for Trump to improve the reality of US-Russia relations, and that never happened,” Bremmer said.
Trump, with his penchant for authoritarian leaders, was extremely obsessed with Putin, but he was not alone in starting his term by seeking better ties.
Barack Obama spoke of a ‘restoration’ of ties following Russia’s war in 2008 with Georgia’s pro-Western government, while George W. Bush said after his first meeting with the former KGB agent: ‘I could get a sense of his soul. “
Biden has selected aides known for their cunning towards Russia – most notably Victoria Nuland, the nominee number three in the State Department, who joined solidarity with protesters in Ukraine when they ousted the president of Moscow in 2014.
New START not a new start –
William Pomeranz, deputy director of the Kennan Institute at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said the expansion of New START is a ‘low-hanging fruit’; it will expire within days and Trump’s efforts to extend the treaty to China are no progress.
But he said Putin’s actions, including accusing the United States of protesting in support of Navalny, showed he was not seeking a common ground with the United States.
“It takes two to improve relations and Vladimir Putin has given no indication that he wants to change the attitude of relations between the US and Russia,” Pomeranz said.
Pomeranz expected the Biden government to end Trump’s ‘personal and ad hoc’ policies.
“I think the lesson of the Trump administration is that if the United States does not hold Russia accountable for its actions, it will not deter; it will seize and expand the opportunities,” he said.
“What we have now is the return of a more professional, yet tough government that will not give Russia the benefit of the doubt.”
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Originally published