A new age of simultaneous and occasionally entwined US battles with nuclear adversaries Russia and China is emphasizing an even more dangerous risk. President Joseph Biden’s travel to commemorate the anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
In the midst of wailing air raid sirens, Biden’s dramatic visit to Kyiv on Monday and his stirring address in Warsaw the following day reaffirmed the West’s exceptional support for Ukraine’s resistance to Russia and squarely denounced President Vladimir Putin.
In contrast, Putin responded in his yearly speech by presenting the conflict in Ukraine as part of a larger conflict with the West over existence. Following Biden’s pledge that the US would support Ukraine for as long as necessary,
Putin’s address highlighted how lengthy that commitment might be, increasing the risk of additional years of conflict that would test the dedication of Western governments and public to the cause.
In the meantime, China is introducing its own strategic maneuver into this expanding great power controversy. Beijing sent its top diplomat Wang Yi to Moscow for high-level discussions even as a Sino-American spy balloon dispute simmers, his ears ringing with US warnings not to sell Russia armaments to use in Ukraine.
After a week of diplomatic symbolism, Putin welcomed Wang and informed him that relations between Beijing and Moscow were “reaching new milestones” in a highly significant step.
The two countries frequently experience “crisis and turmoil, but there are always chances in a crisis and the latter might possibly evolve into the former,” Wang said in a meeting with Putin. The events of this week do not necessarily indicate that Beijing and Moscow will continue to pose similar national security concerns to the US in the future.
While concerns over China’s growing dominance will keep Washington up at night for long of this century, the war in Ukraine has frequently highlighted Russian fragility. Although while both countries believe that working together will help them further their own goals of undermining American interests and power, they are not officially allied against the US.
Nevertheless, at this time, the US is negotiating with both its hostile new superpower opponent, led by Xi Jinping, and its historic Cold War adversaries in the Kremlin over escalating foreign policy challenges. Both of these rivals openly contest the international rule of law and reject the standards that have supported the global order for years.
When Biden proposed the idea of a worldwide struggle between democracies and autocracies, it appeared abstract and illusive. All too real at this point.
However, this complex and dynamic foreign policy environment affects more than simply American diplomats. Questions regarding military capability and whether present defense spending is adequate are raised by the escalating threats from overseas as well as the depletion of US and Western weapon stores due to the supply being supplied to Ukraine.
As the 2024 election season approaches, Biden is attempting to portray Democrats as the champions of working Americans while leading Republicans are accusing him of ignoring voters who are struggling economically and in other ways.
