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Biden points to progress against the virus – and warns Putin against invading Ukraine.
A year after taking office, US President Joe Biden has defended his administration’s record against criticism. At a media conference in the White House, Biden spoke of a year of challenges, but also of “tremendous progress”.
It’s not that far yet, but the USA is moving towards the point in time when Corona will no longer disturb people’s everyday lives and will no longer be a reason for a crisis, said Biden. The situation has improved dramatically since he took office a year ago, he emphasized. There are now enough vaccines and medications to contain the pandemic.
Millions of new jobs were created
The US President also referred to economic successes, among other things. Six million new jobs were created during his reign. Unemployment and poverty have decreased, while wages have increased.
While the unemployment rate has fallen close to pre-pandemic levels, inflation is a concern, with consumer prices in the United States rising at their highest rate in 40 years. In terms of foreign policy, the debacle surrounding the US withdrawal from Afghanistan has damaged the president.
Biden expects Russian military action
In the Ukraine crisis, Biden was convinced that the Russian army would advance into Ukraine. A full-scale invasion will trigger a massive response that would be costly for Russia and its economy, he said.
“He has to do something,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But he is still convinced that Putin does not want a full-scale war, said Biden.
It will be a disaster for Russia if they continue to invade Ukraine.
Putin will put the West to the test with his actions in the Ukraine crisis. Should Russia actually invade Ukraine, it will be held responsible. “It will be a disaster for Russia if they continue to invade Ukraine.”
Then, with the threatened sanctions, Putin will experience punitive measures that he has never seen before.
Ukraine is unlikely to be admitted to NATO
Biden made it clear again that Russia’s call for the United States to reject further NATO expansion to the east is out of the question. At the same time, however, US President Putin appeared to be accommodating when he said: “The probability that Ukraine will join NATO in the near future is not very high.” To do this, the country must first make further progress in democratization.
According to Western estimates, Russia has massed more than 100,000 soldiers near the border with Ukraine. The West and the government in Kiev fear that Russia wants to invade its neighboring country. The government in Moscow denies such plans. At the same time, she demands security guarantees that NATO will not expand further east.
Democrat Biden took over the presidency on January 20, 2021 from Republican Donald Trump. To this day, Trump sees himself deprived of victory by electoral fraud without any evidence, and he has never acknowledged his defeat. Trump’s camp failed with dozens of lawsuits against the result.