WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
In his first interview with the BBC since leaving the White House, Joe Biden said that the pressure of the Donald Trump administration on Ukraine to hand over part of its territory to Russia represents "modern appeasement", alluding to the policy of appeasing Adolf Hitler in the late 1930s.
Speaking in Delaware, the former US president stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that Ukraine is part of Russia and said: "Anyone who thinks that he will stop if a part of his territory is given to him is simply naive."
Biden spoke out on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, warning that US-European relations could be seriously damaged under the leadership of current President Donald Trump.
"It would change the modern history of the world," Biden said.
Criticism of Trump and his policy towards Ukraine
In an interview with BBC Radio 4, Biden also addressed his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, just four months before the election, after a poor performance in a debate that raised doubts about his mental and physical fitness.
When asked if he should have dropped out earlier, Biden replied: "I don't think it would have changed much. We left at a time when we had a good candidate."
The former president has sharply criticized Trump's proposals, such as restoring the Panama Canal, buying Greenland and joining Canada as the 51st state of the United States. "What president says that? It's not us. We are for freedom, democracy and opportunity, not appropriation," he said.
"We gave Ukraine everything for its independence"
Biden said his administration had given Ukraine everything it needed to defend and preserve its independence and was prepared to act even more decisively if Putin escalated the conflict again.
He also commented on statements by the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance, who said the borders should be "frozen close to where they are now" and that "both sides will have to give up something." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the idea of returning to the 2014 borders "unrealistic."
Biden responded: "That's modern appeasement," drawing a parallel with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who in the 1930s tried to appease Hitler to avoid war, which proved disastrous.
Fears of losing European trust
Biden warned that Europe could lose trust in the United States. "Leaders are asking themselves, what now? Can they still rely on the United States? Will they be with us?" he said.
Trump has previously said he expects Russia to keep Crimea, annexed in 2014, and has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of undermining peace talks by rejecting U.S. proposals.
The Trump administration's latest proposal reportedly includes recognizing Russian control over parts of the occupied territory, including Crimea, although the White House has yet to officially confirm it.
"I don't understand the logic of giving in to dictators"
Biden also commented on statements that Ukraine must cede territory to stop the bloodshed: "I don't understand how anyone could think that once you give in to a dictator, they're going to be satisfied. That's not a mindset I understand."
"It's stupid to think that Putin is going to stop at Ukraine. He's still mourning the collapse of the USSR and wants a new Warsaw Pact," Biden said. He added that he fears that some NATO members bordering Russia might conclude that it would be better to compromise if Ukraine agreed to territorial concessions.
Biden also criticized Trump's behavior toward allies, especially during a recent meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, when Trump and Vance sharply attacked the Ukrainian president and demanded that he show more gratitude. "It was below the level of America," Biden said.
He also looked back at the first months of Trump's second term, which saw numerous executive actions and major cuts to government spending.
"When I left office, the economy was growing, the stock market was strong, we were spreading positive influence and trade," he said. Asked what he thought of Trump's new beginning, Biden replied curtly: "Let history judge that. I don't see anything triumphant about it."
