Biden accuses Trump of 'modern-day appeasement' towards Russia
3 Min Read
In his first interview since leaving office, Joe Biden warns Trump’s Russia stance risks US-Europe ties and calls meeting with Zelensky "beneath America."
-
Former US President Joe Biden, left, joined by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, speaks during an event on the Ukraine Compact on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, July 11, 2024. (AP/Susan Walsh)
In his first interview since leaving the White House, former US President Joe Biden has accused Donald Trump of engaging in "modern-day appeasement" toward Russia, warning that Trump's stance on Ukraine could severely damage America's credibility with European allies.
“He [Vladimir Putin] believes it [Russia] has historical rights to Ukraine,” Biden told the BBC. Referring to Trump’s recent suggestions that Ukraine should concede territory to Russia, Biden said, “Anybody who thought the Russian president would stop if Kyiv conceded territory is just foolish.”
Speaking from Delaware during commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Biden compared Trump’s approach to that of Neville Chamberlain in the 1930s, calling it a dangerous echo of failed diplomacy.
Biden expressed deep concern that under Trump, Europe would "lose confidence in the certainty of America," warning that if the US faltered in its longstanding alliance, the result could be historically significant: "A breakdown of US-Europe relations under Trump would change the modern history of the world."
He emphasized that allied leaders could soon be left questioning America’s role: "Wondering, well, what do I do now? … Can I rely on the United States? Are they going to be there?" Biden told the BBC.
“I fear our allies around the world are going to begin to doubt whether we’re going to stay where we’ve always been in the last 80 years,” Biden added.
Oval office Zelensky meeting "beneath America"
Biden also criticized a controversial meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, calling the encounter "beneath America," highlighting what he viewed as a diplomatic embarrassment for the United States.
In the same interview with the BBC, Biden condemned Trump’s past remarks about reclaiming the Panama Canal, making Canada the 51st state, and seizing Greenland.
He said, “What the hell’s going on here? What president ever talks like that?” adding that, "That’s not who we are. We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation."
Ukraine support and handing over to Harris
When challenged over his own approach to the war in Ukraine, Biden pushed back against claims that his administration had been slow to provide aid.
“We gave them everything they needed to provide for their independence, and we were prepared to respond more aggressively if Putin moved again,” said Biden.
Biden also addressed his decision to exit the presidential race just months before the upcoming election, effectively transferring leadership to Vice President Kamala Harris. “I don’t think it would have mattered. We left at a time when we had a good candidate,” he said.
“Things moved so quickly that it made it difficult to walk away. And it was a hard decision. I think it was the right decision.”
