Biden faces 'long American winter'
Winter is here, trees are losing their leaves, and President Joe Biden's illusions are shattered. For the United States, the outlook is bleak at both the international and domestic levels: severe consequences from a climate catastrophe, growing political and military threats from Russia in Europe, and stiff competition from China in the East. At home, the United States faces a severe weakening of its political system.
Hawks in both parties have accused Biden of compromising on Russia. First they hoped that Washington would intervene with decisive military assistance; then they were convinced that if the United States threatened military intervention, Putin would back down. However, the opposition from Republicans was not as loud as before, as they all remembered Trump's controversial ties to Russia.
After the disastrous troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, all opinion polls indicate that American society will never again support a new military intervention abroad that could turn into a serious international conflict.
Putin is testing the strength and resolve of his American and European adversaries. While every possibility cannot be ruled out, it is now less about a military invasion of Ukraine than about an impact on the stability of Kiev's rule.
Biden's response was twofold: On the one hand, he threatened Russia with a whole host of economic and political sanctions at the disposal of the United States, and even blocked its access to the international financial system. Sanctions would seriously affect the Russian economy. On the other hand, the United States will have to find ways to defend Ukraine's independence, while also taking care not to outright anger Russia.
The US may suspend further arms supplies to Ukraine, but it will in no way guarantee Ukraine will not be a member of NATO or the European Union. Perhaps the U.S. might assuage Russians’ military concerns by negotiating a new deal on strategic weapons and conventional military forces.