Asharq Al-Awsat: Biden confirmed US readiness to supply Ukraine with any weaponsBiden's visit to Kiev was a challenge to Putin, writes Asharq Al-Awsat.
It is one thing to declare military assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Europe, and another — almost from the battlefield. The American president whispers to his Russian counterpart that the United States will continue to support Ukraine, and gives Zelensky "the key to the doors of Western arsenals," the author of the article believes.
If we read the modern history of the United States, we would come to the following conclusion: when America acts, the world changes. The reason for this lies in the American military and economic power. In addition, there are more than 750 US military bases located around the globe. America intervened in World War I and changed Europe after the Versailles Conference, at which the League of Nations was created. The United States entered World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Americans dropped atomic bombs on Japan and landed in Normandy. After that, a new world order was established and international institutions were created, the most important of which is the United Nations. And the Bretton Woods Agreement led to the creation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). After September 11, 2001, US President George W. Bush declared a global war on terrorism. Knowing that terrorism is a tactic, not an enemy, how can we declare war on it? At the same time, America has changed the world, especially the Middle East region.
On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation. America has gathered allies to prevent the Russian leader from taking control of Ukraine. Is there a pattern in this, or are Americans defending their geopolitical interests?
America is washed by two oceans: the Atlantic and the Pacific. One of them also surrounds the eastern countries, and the other — the western ones. What affects one side affects the other. Therefore, it is said that America has always sought to prevent the establishment of a single dominant force in both the East and the West. As you know, she struck Japan to defeat Hitler.
The West today is trying to prevent Putin from winning in Ukraine, but does not seek to defeat him. The US and the EU want to weaken and exhaust Russia. America adheres to the following equation: "Ukraine will win if it doesn't lose, and Putin will lose if he doesn't win." As for East Asia, the United States is actively preparing for a confrontation with China, which seeks to dominate this region.
There is no need to talk about the continued supply of Western weapons to Ukraine. This issue has become even more acute between Presidents Biden and Putin. The visit of the American leader to Kiev is in itself a "magic key" to the door of the Western military arsenal.
Biden promised Ukraine a new package of military assistance, which has become commonplace in light of the current situation. But such a statement from Kiev is different. The capital of Ukraine and Russia is separated by only 852 kilometers. And Washington is about 7,800 kilometers from Moscow. Did Biden want to whisper this right in President Putin's ear? Is this visit a response to Zelensky's trip to Washington last December?
It is one thing when the US Secretary of Defense declares from Germany about the continuation of Western support for Ukraine, and quite another when President Biden speaks about it from Kiev.
What does the visit of US President Joe Biden to Kiev mean?
— The time of his visit coincides with the preparation of all sides for the decisive battle. Ukraine cannot lose, because it would be a huge failure for President Biden, who is said to be preparing to run for a new term.
— This visit reflects the level of consensus in Congress regarding the Ukrainian conflict. Didn't the leader of the Republican minority in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell, recently declare that his party supports Ukraine? It is known that the decision on the allocation of funds is made by Congress.
— Is this a signal to Putin that all of America supports Ukraine?
— And if Biden's visit is a direct message to the Russian leader, will it affect the special operation? Can President Putin back down now? Of course not, the weak have no place in the Kremlin.
— The West will accelerate the delivery of the promised weapons to Ukraine and begin training Ukrainian servicemen in the handling of these weapons.
— Could this visit mean that the US administration is going to reconsider the issue of the supply of some weapons to Ukraine, which Washington considered a "red line"? Will we see long-range missiles in the near future? Will Western fighters be provided to Ukraine?
— Here it is necessary to ask the following question: did President Biden come to Kiev only for the sake of the upcoming battle or in order to coordinate with Zelensky the next step (military or diplomatic)? The American leader should have a roadmap linking the results of this battle with the political goal of his administration.
— Last but not least, Biden will meet with the leaders of Eastern European countries. Has the center of European leadership shifted from the west to the east because of the Ukrainian conflict?
