The United States calls to Europe and Europe answers: the President of the United States, Joe Bidenwill indeed be calling the leaders of Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom next week, US National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said during a briefing with the press.
Joe Biden’s Europe Week
The series of telephone appointments is part of the US President’s Europe Week to mark the first anniversary of the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict: a journey that is already taking on the aura of a historic mission. “For Biden, the trip to Europe on the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine is very important,” said John Kirby, specifying that the President will meet his Polish counterpart You there “on Tuesday upon his arrival in Warsaw to thank him for all Poland’s efforts during this war year”. In fact, Biden will also thank the Polish people for the $3.8 billion in military and humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine last year.
And for all the efforts made by the Poles to generously accommodate over a million and a half refugees from Ukraine. The President will deliver a speech in the gardens of the Royal Castle in Warsaw Tuesday 21st, three days before the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. The speech is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Almost a year ago, on March 27, Biden gave a speech in support of Ukraine, which had triggered a war of nerves in the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin will also give a speech on the same day. On Wednesday, Biden will then meet with the leaders of the Bucharest 9 group, the representatives of the countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
Although the White House is quick to declare that “no meeting between Biden and Zelenskyy is planned at this time”, for Biden there is no better place than Poland to symbolically rally the free world: and not only because it is a border country between East and West , but also because it is a nation that has repeatedly suffered divisions and martyrs of various kinds. Without forgetting that at the beginning of the war, millions of Ukrainians fled to Poland, and the Poles received them without reservations.
Mystery surrounding the speech and the words President Biden could address to European audiences in a journey and speech full of symbolic meaning. In fact, one cannot help but note that Poland will be the only stop on Biden’s visit, as well as where he will return to in less than a year. The White House resident is likely to use his trip to stress that the United States will continue to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people for as long as is needed. They defended “at least freedom and democracy”. “[Biden] it will also reaffirm U.S. firm support for NATO security,” said Mark Brzezinski, U.S. Ambassador to Poland.
What Biden can ask of European allies
“Don’t ask Biden what he can do for Europe, ask what Europe can do in the war in Ukraine.” To paraphrase Jfk, Biden’s trip to Europe lends itself to multiple meanings. The President’s renewed flare-up – almost mid-campaign – after his State of the Union address reaches Europe with a very specific purpose: to “wake up” the European allies and revitalize cohesion within NATO at a time when efforts to to support Kiev turned into a last tank riot. Paradoxically, the dramatic history of the earthquake in Turkey and the resulting earthquake diplomacy have an unexpectedly positive effect on this second point.
Biden’s speech will take place less than 500 miles from Ukraine. During his most recent visit to the region, he made a surprise visit to the Polish-Ukrainian border, where he met NATO troops and Ukrainian refugees. Biden’s proximity to Kiev on the eve of the war milestone has sparked speculation about a possible visit to the country, which was attended by several European leaders last year. The White House has not indicated whether this could happen. In addition to meeting Polish President Andrzej Duda, Biden is also expected to hold talks with political leaders Nine from Bucharestthe Group of Former Soviet Republics currently part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and which, in addition to Poland, also includes Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.
The visit to Europe also offers Biden the opportunity to personally promote greater unity within the US-Europe alliance: in fact, he commented on the importance of this union when, last January 25, he announced the deployment of 31 Abrams tanks to the Ukraine announced. Most importantly, Biden comes to Europe with his homework well done, barring rumors of the crisis in support for Zelenskyy: last week the Pentagon announced a new $2.5 billion security package for Ukraine. These include armored personnel carriers and tanks, as well as ammunition and missiles for the HIMARS system, which Ukraine has used to attack Russian field command posts. Meanwhile, the abacus now marks $26.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Washington’s invasion of Russia.
In the same hours that it is taking shape, the countries of Central Europe are increasing Munich Security Conference They are ready to put pressure on the United States and Western Europe not to relax Putin. They see their future as inseparable from that of Ukraine, and a Russian victory – partial or not – as their defeat as well. For them, there must be no frozen conflict and no negotiations that can leave the next step to Russian President Vladimir Putin.