As Russia threatens to invade Ukraine, the West appears paralysed Vladimir Putin draws strength from the knowledge that the US and its allies will not offer serious military resistance to his territorial ambitions. Russia has deployed more than 16 battalions of tanks, armoured fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery and even landing craft around south-east Ukraine, in an arc ranging from Chornomorske to Voronezh. If the place names sound unfamiliar, I advise you to look at a map – because it is here that ten years of Western foreign policy is about to fail. The Ukraine crisis began in 2014 with the breakaway of two pro-Russian republics and the illegal annexation by Vladimir Putin of Crimea – sporadic fighting has endured ever since. To understand Russia’s motivations, you again need the aid of a map. If you imagine yourself as a paranoid dictator bunkered in the Kremlin, and gaze westwards, what you worry about are three patches of blue: the Barents Sea, the Balti
On antitrust and big tech, Biden must return to his centrist roots thehill.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehill.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Biden entered office with greater foreign policy credentials than any president since George H. W. Bush. His team may believe they can be proactive in shaping his priorities although already their approach appears scattershot. Certainly, fast-tracking Iran talks is one top priority, and addressing growing Chinese aggression is another. Biden made a change in immigration policy a priority on the first day of his administration. The administration has also promised to be on top of challenges emanating from North Korea, Russia, or Turkey. Former Secretary of State John Kerry’s appointment suggests greater engagement on issues surrounding climate change.
Short of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan or a Russian test of American and NATO resolve in the Baltics, much of existing Biden emphasis comes down to posturing or managing. The true challenge to Biden’s foreign policy legacy may come from a direction his State Department largely ignores: Africa.
A Progressive Agenda for Biden’s Foreign Policy Details
Making America Safe for the World.”
That means focusing on domestic problems rather than on foreign policy crusading, relying on diplomacy before making threats and imposing sanctions, redefining the national interest with an eye toward real friends and urgent issues, and finding common ground with adversaries, starting with China, while remaining faithful to our ideals.
These priorities offer a window on specific issues that confront the Biden administration’s foreign policy team.
The “Power of Example”
Joe Biden has proposed, rightly I think, that the “power of example” offers the best way to promote democracy and human rights abroad. It’s an idea that actually goes back to the founding of the republic.