Biden’s Opportunity in the Ukraine Crisis

Photo by Doug Mills is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

The Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens to disrupt global democratic institutions. As the crisis has unfolded, we have witnessed the West unite, largely around the brave and electrifying leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But this unity was never guaranteed. Putin himself likely bet that with a reluctant Germany and belligerent Hungary, the European Union would fail to come to a consensus on harsh sanctions. That miscalculation has cost Russia greatly, sending their economy towards the brink of collapse. And while Zelenskyy has played the central role in rallying Western allies, the American response has been critical as well. The Biden administration has collaborated with European leaders, particularly Germany, throughout Russia’s military buildup. That communication has been key to both the unity of the West and the extent of their sanctions. The success of Biden’s pressure on Germany to axe NordStream 2, a planned pipeline transporting gas from Russia to Germany, in the event of Russia’s invasion speaks to the effectiveness of that collaboration. Behind all of that work lies Biden’s steadfast belief in the power of our alliances. Throughout his career, Joe Biden has demonstrated a commitment to the principles of self-government and diplomacy, something which cannot be said of former President Donald Trump. Trump unnecessarily soured relations with our European allies, pushing them to work more independently of the U.S. on crucial geopolitical issues. 

Joe Biden is no FDR. He’s made bad calls over the course of his career and even throughout his presidency. His messy withdrawal from Afghanistan put off European allies who had expected a more orderly exit; the same can be said with his refusal to undo Trump’s tariffs on China. The AUKUS nuclear submarine deal which enraged France certainly hasn’t helped, either. However, Biden understands the importance of strengthening our alliances at a time when we cannot afford to slip up. When Biden entered office, he was rightly celebrated by many in Europe as a return to the America that works alongside their governments to confront global challenges. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated the power of unity against our geopolitical enemies. By working in concert with each other, Western nations have, so far, successfully helped Ukraine keep the Russian threat at bay through harsh, coordinated sanctions packages and military support. 

With regards to Ukraine, many have criticized the Biden administration of not doing more to deter or punish Russia. One particular area of contention was whether to sanction the NordStream 2 pipeline before or after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The pipeline would have supplied Germany with additional natural gas amidst rising energy prices across Europe. Senator Ted Cruz led a bipartisan but largely Republican-backed effort to pass sanctions on the pipeline as a deterrent. That effort failed, with the Biden administration and Senate Democrats successfully holding back sanctions as a bargaining chip. Biden’s restraint paid off. Instead of infuriating German officials with unilateral sanctions, Biden was able to secure Germany’s commitment to ending the pipeline altogether. American sanctions on their own likely could not have prevented its eventual rollout, but Biden’s deal did. That deal also cost Russia greatly. Much of Europe depends on Russian oil and gas for their energy, so the shift in strategy did not come easy. 

By comparison, President Trump’s four years in office were a strategic disaster. Not only did the former president withhold military aid to Ukraine itself in a futile attempt to get dirt on then candidate Biden, but his belligerent attitude towards our European allies have permanently weakened US power. Furthermore, his attempt to overturn the election tanked America’s favorability worldwide. And even with a more reliable U.S. President in office, the threat of a Trump comeback haunts European leaders. These European leaders are now pursuing “strategic autonomy,” under which the EU would rely less on the US and NATO for security. Many leaders have cited America’s withdrawal under President Trump as one reason for the strategy shift. The West’s unity in the face of the crisis in Ukraine exemplifies the power of international collaboration to secure the world’s democracies. That collaboration wouldn’t vanish entirely under strategic autonomy, but it threatens to undermine it. That doesn’t just hurt the citizens of Ukraine, it will have very real effects on US national security. When considering the case of China, the West must take a unified stance to ensure our intellectual property is protected and our telecommunications are secure. The bottom line is, the actions any one superpower or bloc take will reverberate around the world. It’s in the best interest of the EU and the US to make sure we coordinate on those actions. 

In the Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Biden administration has an opportunity to reestablish the decaying world order. Western democracies can seize their moment of unity to expand democracy and forge an interdependent strategy to counter China, address climate change, and secure energy independence. But while the Biden administration has helped reestablish America’s reputation on the world stage through this crisis, more work needs to be done to regain our allies’ trust. President Trump left a stain on our nation that will take a herculean effort to undo. President Biden, for his part, will have to swallow some bitter pills at home in order to keep Republicans, and even the former President, from regaining power. More broadly, however, President Biden’s task is to frame the next election cycle as a referendum on his performance in Ukraine. And, perhaps most importantly, to convince the American people that he has the best record and the best plan to unite our allies and counter Russia as it continues to bear down on Ukraine and Eastern Europe.