President Joe Biden traveled to Europe on Wednesday, hoping to further unite NATO allies in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing crisis in the country. This week, the president will go to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in an emergency NATO meeting, connect with leaders from the Group of Seven (G-7) countries, and attend a European Council summit.
The purpose of the NATO meeting is to organize the next phase of military aid to Ukraine and implement additional economic penalties against the Russian Federation. President Joe Biden is expected to make announcements alongside allies on “long-term adjustments” to NATO’s troop posture on its eastern flank, additional American humanitarian as emergency assistance to Ukraine, and new steps to lessen Europe’s reliance on Russian crude oil.
Biden will then travel to Poland to meet with officials and discuss how the country is coping with an influx of more than 2 million refugees from neighboring Ukraine. Up to this point, the United States has given billions of dollars in military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine while also working with its allies to isolate Russia’s economy.
Sanctions against Russian financial systems and individuals associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin have been imposed as part of this strategy. Along with other G-7 nations, the United States has also banned the import of Russian oil and has attempted to terminate Russia’s normal commercial relations status with the rest of the world.
President Biden described the danger of chemical warfare as “a genuine threat.” This statement comes amid a back-and-forth between U.S. and Russian officials on the scope and purpose of biological research laboratories in Ukraine backed by the United States.
On Monday, Biden issued a “call to action” to the private sector in the United States to strengthen its cyber security, warning that Russia is exploring options for a potential cyberattack against critical infrastructure in the United States.
The president has stated he does not want to deploy U.S. soldiers into Ukraine to fight, and he wants to avoid escalations that could lead to a bigger confrontation with Russia in the short term.
Following Biden’s remarks about Putin being a war criminal, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the United States envoy in Moscow earlier this week that relations between the two nations have been strained and are on the verge of collapsing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated late on Monday that he was willing to negotiate with Putin. He offered not to pursue NATO membership in exchange for a truce, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and a guarantee of the country’s security.
“It’s a compromise for everyone: for the West, which doesn’t know what to do with us with regard to NATO, for Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and for Russia, which doesn’t want further NATO expansion,” Zelenskyy said in an interview.