London (AP) – Joe Biden declared in his first post -presidential interview that President Donald Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to abandon the territory to Russia is equivalent to “modern appeasement”, a historically rare term which refers to a failed effort to prevent the Nazis from annexing land in Europe in the 1930s.
Biden told BBC Radio 4’s “TODAY” program in the remarks broadcast on Wednesday that Trump’s statements on the acquisition of Panama, Greenland and Canada have put distrust of the United States in Europe.
“What president never speaks like that?” Said biden. “It is not who we are. We are on freedom, democracy, the opportunity – not confiscation.”
He also said that it was a “difficult decision” to leave the American presidential race in 2024 four months after election day to allow former vice-president Kamala Harris to challenge Trump. But, he added, making this move earlier because some criticisms had suggested “would not have been of any importance”.
The term appeasement refers to the efforts of former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in the 1930s to appease Adolf Hitler’s measures to annex the land in Europe, which did not prevent the Second World War.
Trump has long rejected war in Ukraine as a waste of life and money from American taxpayers. At the start of his presidency, Trump ordered a break in American aid in Ukraine – then took it over. Last week, the two countries signed an agreement granting American access to the vast mineral resources of Ukraine – a return on investment, suggested Trump, who could open the way to greater aid in the United States.
He also said that Crimea, a strategic peninsula along the Black Sea in the south of Ukraine which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, “will remain with Russia”.
Biden said that it feared that relations between the United States and Europe were eroding under Trump, with the member nations of NATO which reconsidered if they trust in the United States
“Europe will lose confidence in the certainty of America and the management of America,” said Biden at the BBC. The leaders of the continent, he added, asked: “” Can I count on the United States? Will they be there? “”
Biden was particularly worrying, said the administration’s proposal to let Russia keep Ukrainian territory in order to conclude a peace agreement that would end the fighting.
“This is modern appeasement,” said Biden.
Biden said that the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Rock up by Trump in the oval office in February was “under America”.
“I do not understand how they do not understand that there is force in the alliances,” said Biden about the Trump administration on Monday.
Asked about the triumphant celebration of Trump from his first 100 days in power, Biden replied that he will let the story make judgment.
“I don’t see anything triumphant,” he said.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
