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Joe Biden addresses NATO © (c) APA / AFP / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI)
US President Joe Biden once again called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” during his visit to Poland. The devastation in Ukraine comes from “a man who, frankly, I consider a war criminal,” said Biden on Friday in Rzeszów, about 90 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. “And I think that will also fit the legal definition,” he added.
In Rzeszów, Biden and the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, learned about the humanitarian mission to care for refugees from Ukraine. “I mean, it’s just frustrating to see these little kids or babies looking at their mothers,” said Biden. You don’t have to speak their language, you can see the pain in their eyes.
“They are our guests”
At the meeting, Duda emphasized that his country was willing to help the people of Ukraine. “We are not saying refugees – they are our guests” – emphasized Duda. Ukrainians are “brothers and neighbors” and everything indicates that the number of refugees will continue to grow.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you for your service”
Before meeting Duda, Biden thanked the American soldiers in Poland for their service on the eastern flank of NATO. “I came for a simple, compelling reason. To say thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your service, “he said during a visit to the branches in Rzeszów. Biden stressed that 100,000 US troops are now in Europe due to troop reinforcements due to the war in Ukraine.
Biden said the current conflict is about more than just helping the people of Ukraine and stopping the “massacres.” It is also about the freedom of the children and grandchildren of American soldiers. In the last ten years, more democracies have been lost in the world than were founded. The question is whether democracies or autocracies will prevail in global competition, Biden said. “Probably that’s what’s at stake, so what you do matters a lot.”
Biden had to stay on Air Force One for an hour
Biden’s plans related to the visit to Poland were jeopardized after the emergency landing of President Duda’s plane. Air Force One with Biden on board landed at the Rzeszów airport shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday. Biden did not get off Air Force One for almost an hour – he did not get off the plane until around 15:00. Then he was greeted by the Polish Minister of Defense Mariusz Błaszczak. A replacement plane with Duda on board landed at the airport at about the same time. Actually, Duda should have welcomed the US President, but his plane had to return to Warsaw due to damage, where Duda switched to a replacement plane.
That’s why Biden first met with US military personnel from the 82nd Airborne Division right next to the airport. Television shots showed the US president eating pizza with his soldiers. Before the outbreak of the war, the USA transferred 4,700 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division from North Carolina to Poland. They will strengthen the 4,500 soldiers the United States has long been stationed in Poland. So far, there is no permanent US military base in Poland.
Onward journey to Warsaw
Biden’s trip to a NATO partner country concerns only Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Biden wants to go to Warsaw on Friday evening. On Saturday, he wants there, among others to deliver a speech on the war in Ukraine. In it, he will “discuss the importance of the moment,” announced Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor. It is about underlining “the urgency of the challenge facing us” and “the importance of the conflict in Ukraine for the world”.
Biden was previously in Brussels. On Thursday, he took part in three summit meetings there – the program included a special NATO summit, the summit of the leading democratic economic powers (G7) and the EU summit. Biden announced in Brussels, inter alia, that the United States would like to accept up to 100,000. refugees from Ukraine.
The US wants to replace up to a third of Russian gas for the EU
The US government also imposed new sanctions on Russia. Biden and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday morning that the EU would be buying massive amounts of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US in the future. This is to reduce Europe’s dependence on energy supplies from Russia. In the medium term, the EU is expected to receive a third of the volume of gas it currently buys from Russia in the US.
The most important decisions at a glance
CALL TO ROYAL – WARNING TO PUTIN
The EU, G7 and NATO call on Russia to put a ceasefire in Ukraine and condemn the sustained attacks. Both statements involve the personal responsibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We will spare no efforts to hold President Putin and the planners and supporters of this aggression, including the Lukashenka regime in Belarus, accountable for their actions,” the G7 said in a statement.
WARNING AGAINST CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR ATTACK
Both statements warn Russia against a chemical, nuclear or biological attack in Ukraine. As a result, the NATO declaration lists serious consequences, without further elaborating on them. NATO is activating its NBC defense units.
STRENGTHENING NATO’S EAST FLANK
The NATO declaration announced the deployment of four additional battle groups in NATO countries: Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. The background is fear of Russian attacks. In the longer term, consideration should also be given to how to strengthen the Alliance’s defense capabilities. They are also to develop cybernetic skills. At the NATO summit in Madrid in June, member states are to commit to increasing defense spending.
RUSSIA ISOLATION – G20
While US President Joe Biden supports Russia’s exclusion from the G20, the G7’s statement is much more cautious. “International organizations and multilateral fora should no longer do business as usual with Russia,” he said. You will be informed with other countries on how to proceed. Behind this is a conflict of interest between the US and some European G7 countries.
SANCTIONS
There was no mention of new sanctions against Russia. However, the G7 countries stress their willingness to impose more. They also want to prevent the circumvention of the sanctions imposed on Russia.
RECONSTRUCTION OF UKRAINE
The EU decided to create an aid fund to rebuild Ukraine’s war-damaged infrastructure. An international donor conference is to be held for this purpose. Ukraine has an uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas from the West.
FOOD
The G7 are concerned about possible hunger due to the war in Ukraine. Therefore, it wants to avoid food export bans. G7 countries are increasing funding for the World Food Program to help poorer countries. They also want to support Ukraine as an agricultural producer.
ENERGY
The G7 countries reaffirm their goal of reducing dependence on Russian gas and oil supplies. At the same time, they appeal to the OPEC countries to increase oil supplies to the markets. So far they have refused.