Biden calls Trump’s pressure on Ukraine ‘modern-day appeasement’ in 1st post-presidential interview
LONDON AP Joe Biden mentioned in his first post-presidential interview that President Donald Trump s pressure on Ukraine to give up territory to Russia amounts to modern-day appeasement a historically fraught term that refers to a failed effort to stop the Nazis from annexing land in Europe in the s Biden communicated BBC Radio s In contemporary times effort in remarks aired Wednesday that Trump s statements about acquiring Panama Greenland and Canada have bred distrust of the United States in Europe What president ever talks like that Biden revealed That s not who we are We re about freedom democracy opportunity not about confiscation He also noted it was a laborious decision to leave the U S presidential race in four months from Electoral process Day to allow former Vice President Kamala Harris to challenge Trump But he added making that move earlier as chosen critics had suggested would n t have mattered The term appeasement refers to former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain s efforts in the s to appease Adolf Hitler s moves to annex land in Europe which failed to prevent World War II Trump has long dismissed the war in Ukraine as a waste of lives and American taxpayer money Early in his presidency Trump ordered a pause in American aid to Ukraine then resumed it The two countries last week signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine s vast mineral materials a return on expenditure Trump suggested that could pave the way for more U S aid He has also mentioned that Crimea a strategic peninsula along the Black Sea in southern Ukraine that was illegally annexed by Russia in will stay with Russia Biden mentioned he worried that relations between the U S and Europe was eroding under Trump with NATO member nations reconsidering whether they trust the U S Europe is going to lose confidence in the certainty of America and the leadership of America Biden advised the BBC The continent s leaders he added were asking Can I rely on the United States Are they going to be there Of special concern Biden commented was the administration s proposal to let Russia keep selected Ukrainian territory in an effort to strike a peace deal that would put an end to fighting It is modern-day appeasement Biden mentioned Biden disclosed Trump s thrashing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February was beneath America I don t understand how they fail to understand that there s strength in alliances Biden declared of the Trump administration on Monday Questioned about Trump s triumphant celebration of his first days in office Biden replied that he ll let history render the judgement I don t see anything that was triumphant he stated Source
