Biden’s Weak Russia Record

Biden Talks Tough Now, But For Decades He Has Underestimated Putin, Downplayed The Threat Of Russia, And Pushed Failed Policies That Emboldened Their Aggression

BIDEN IS GIVING PUTIN A “POLITICAL WIN” TO CAP OFF HIS DISASTROUS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP

• Tomorrow, Biden will attend a summit with Vladimir Putin, giving the Russian President “a big, legitimizing, cost-free political win.” 
• This meeting comes after a week of Biden embarrassments on the world stage including confusing Syria with Libya three times, forgetting how long he has been in office, and suffering a memory lapse that led to him being mocked by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in front of G7 leaders. 

BIDEN HAS A HISTORY OF UNDERESTIMATING PUTIN 

• Biden has a history of underestimating Putin, even praising him when he first took power.
  • Biden defended then-President Bush for saying he saw into Putin’s soul as a positive interaction.
  • In 2001, Biden had a positive view of Putin, saying he was “amazed” at Putin’s “move” towards the West, comparing Putin to Peter the Great and praising him for standing up to Russia’s military.
  • In 2002, Biden credited Putin for Russia “moving toward greater acceptance of the rule of law, free trade, and a market economy.”  
  • As Senator, Biden attempted to buy Putin’s support for the Iraq war with the promise of billions in oil money if they entered alongside the U.S. 
• As vice president, Biden repeatedly failed when dealing with Russia, pushing a “reset” with Putin and underestimating the threat he posed.
  • Biden’s own Secretary of State – Tony Blinken – has said Biden was the one who “first advanced” the Obama administration’s Russia “reset” in 2009, which ended up being a complete failure.
  • Then-Vice President Biden backed Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), saying “President Obama and I strongly support and want to see Russia in WTO.”
  • In 2011, Biden invited then-Russian Prime Minister Putin to visit the Obama White House, a move that sent “the wrong signal” because Putin was not the head of state, and it gave him legitimacy as Putin prepared to run for President again. 
• Biden has repeatedly downplayed the threat of Russia.
  • In 2012, Biden mocked the idea that “Russia is still our major adversary.”
  • In 2018, Biden said that Russia is in “enormous decline.”

AS PRESIDENT, BIDEN HAS CONTINUED TO BE SOFT ON RUSSIA

• Biden has already helped clear the way for Putin’s geopolitical power grab by waiving sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline. 
  • This decision came just two weeks after the Russian criminal group DarkSide disrupted America’s energy supply with a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline.
• Biden’s policies are fueling Russia’s oil industry, with Americans paying on average over $3 per gallon at the pump while Russian exports of oil to the U.S. are at an all-time high.
• Biden is all bark and no bite, calling Putin a “killer,” but also shirking direct confrontation and inexplicably lifting sanctions.  
• Even Putin thinks Biden is weak, challenging him to a live televised exchange.

PUTIN AND HIS ALLIES HAVE REPEATEDLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BIDEN’S WEAKNESS

• When the Obama-Biden administration retreated from the Middle East, Russia swooped in and took advantage of the void the United States left. 
  • Russia was emboldened when the Obama-Biden “red line” in Syria was not enforced, with many officials frustrated by the administration’s weak strategy against Putin. 
• On the Obama-Biden administration’s watch, Russia seized Crimea and failed to provide lethal aid to Ukraine as it faced Russian aggression.