A new poll shows Americans are divided on whether or not the U.S. should lead international opposition to Russia’s invasion. While 47% believe America should lead, 53% disagree. But, while many blame Russia for the crisis, a significant percentage also blames America. So, who is really to blame? Let’s look at each one of them. And then we’ll consider the political context of this conflict.
Washington
The United States and its Western allies have played a key role in the Ukraine Russia war. China wants to see the conflict end, but it doesn’t want Washington to play a leading role. While it understands that the United States needs to increase its geoeconomic reach and influence, China also opposes the unilateral Western sanctions against Russia. In the meantime, China’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict is increasing. Here are some of the reasons why.
First, Western states must recognize that great-power politics are different from imperialism, which means they have to pay attention to the Russian view of the world and its relationship with others. And since great powers are powerful, they will retaliate when someone pokes them in the eye. That means Western hemisphere states should not allow Russian military forces into their own countries. That’s the only way they can ensure that Russia won’t do anything stupid like attack them.
Second, the Ukraine Russia war is exacerbating world food insecurity. Rising food prices are adding to global inflationary pressures. Already, over 800 million people are suffering from food insecurity. Increasing prices could push ten million into poverty. But Biden delayed providing the Ukrainians with heavy weapons because he didn’t believe that victory was likely. Moreover, Biden’s lack of willingness to take a chance on victory has fueled a climate of fear and resentment in the Ukrainian people.
The United States must also take action to stop the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Western allies are stoking fears and promoting war and division. In fact, the United States is now sending $650 million in security assistance to Ukraine. Increasingly, Western allies are working to undermine Russia and Ukraine. In the meantime, the Russian government must withstand pressure from the U.S. Congress and European governments. This can be done through a coordinated international strategy.
Biden administration
While many of the politicians blaming the Obama administration for the war in Ukraine are Republicans, others blamed the Biden administration for escalating hostilities with Russia. As a former CIA officer, I have a very different perspective on these issues. Biden’s actions have been the biggest problem, and he is right to feel apologetic about it. But, in my view, he should take responsibility for the war.
The Biden administration’s policy of cautious caution in the Ukraine conflict has failed to get the American people’s support. Despite this, most Americans are still opposed to additional U.S. involvement in the conflict. An NPR/Ipsos poll shows that more than 60% of Americans think President Biden should do more to help Ukraine, and only 8% say he’s doing too little. However, Biden’s record as president should be taken with a grain of salt.
While the Biden administration is trying to protect the United States from an invasion, there are other issues at play. The Biden administration has been holding up the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine because it fears that these weapons could hit Russian targets. Biden believes that if Ukraine attacks Russia, it will not be effective and should fall back. He will then blame the Ukrainian people for not listening to his advice. But that’s not a good scenario for the U.S. Biden’s fecklessness is a major problem that needs to be resolved.
As a result, U.S. officials have been openly briefed on the Russian buildup and the U.S. military response. Despite the lack of clear evidence, they are likely to blame themselves for this conflict. The Biden administration failed to prevent this war because they failed to warn their citizens about it. But they can also be held accountable for the fact that they were unable to stop Russian actions.
Trump administration
Former president Donald Trump said that he believes that the Russia invasion of Ukraine is an atrocity and has attributed the conflict to the Biden administration. He said that he believes that a war with Russia will take place in Europe soon and has endorsed 120 local Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections. In the same breath, he suggested running for president in 2024. The debate over who is to blame for this war is a hot topic in the US.
Republican members of Congress blame the President and Vice President for this crisis. Some blame Joe Biden and the GOP for this and say that Russia should be sanctioned more for its actions. While many Republicans are opposed to deploying U.S. troops in Ukraine, Democrats say that it is an example of how the GOP is bent on tearing down its opponents. This is particularly troubling as midterm elections are coming up on Nov. 8, which will determine whether the Republicans control both chambers of Congress.
Obama’s National Security Council also played a role in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The administration remained steadfast in resisting providing the Ukrainians with lethal weapons after the invasion, saying that it would be too provocative. However, the Trump administration criticized Obama for his decision to defer the release of the military aid to Ukraine. The president also delayed the delivery of Javelin missiles to Ukraine, which Congress had approved. The assistance is expected to be delivered in September of this year.
Although there was a strong Republican push to punish Putin for the intervention, it was also true that he was a member of the Burisma board when the Ukrainian government threatened to invade. Those who blame him say that his actions made the Russians more aggressive. However, this view is not widely shared by many Republicans and is likely to deter the U.S. from acting on the situation in Ukraine. So, the question of whether the Trump administration is to blame for the Ukraine Russia war has yet to be answered.
Trump’s overreaction
The United States’ overreaction to the Ukraine-Russia War is troubling, especially in light of the recent escalation. While the United States has shipped hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons to Ukraine, shepherded a global coalition in imposing wide-ranging economic sanctions, and encouraged global organizations and tech companies to isolate Russia, it has done nothing to convince Vladimir Putin to change his course. In fact, the current state of affairs suggests that preventing the incursion is unlikely to be accomplished without a nuclear war.
Despite this bipartisan response, few Republicans have publicly criticized the President for his overreaction to the Russian invasion. While it is great that he’s received bipartisan support, he says it’s a dereliction of duty for Republicans in Congress to criticize his policy. Democrats have argued that Trump’s lack of condemnation is a symptom of “neo-isolationism in the rear view mirror,” and the Republican response is a result of that failure to recognize the full reality of the situation.
While many in the Western world slammed Trump for his brash response to the Russian invasion, Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has been urging calm. Last week, he called Vice President Joe Biden to rethink his language and messaging. Zelensky told Ukrainians to stay calm and stop stockpiling supplies and withdrawing their money from banks. Zelensky, a renowned economic expert, urged Biden to tone down the rhetoric, calling for calm.
The escalating conflict has divided the United States and the EU. Russia has launched a series of military drills, deploying warplanes in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea and dozens of warships in the Black Sea. Ukraine and Belarus have resisted Russian pressure, while NATO has strengthened deterrence in the region. And despite all of these escalations, the Ukrainian government is still determined to hold its ground.
Putin’s imperial ambitions
While the U.S. continues to support the war effort in Ukraine, Putin has warned the U.S. to back off. Recently, President Biden announced that the U.S. would provide Ukraine with $800 million in military aid, including heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition, drones, and more. We spoke with University of Virginia professor John Owen, who specializes in war and terrorism.
The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has put the world order in proper perspective. While holdouts in the US see the US as the aggressor, skeptics have witnessed the United States’ waning power and fracturing ties. The Democratic Socialists of America have called for U.S. withdrawal from NATO, and a stop to imperialist expansionism.
In international relations, if Russia were to be sanctioned, it would be a weak sanction. In international relations, the focus on the “information available at the time” is critical. While some argue that sanctions against Russia would be futile and ineffective, it is not surprising that Putin would want to avoid them. After all, if the U.S. and EU sanctions were weak, it would only serve to embolden the Russian government’s imperial ambitions.
The situation in Ukraine is deteriorating. The Kremlin has failed to recognize the Donbas republics for eight years, forcing the Ukrainian military to escalate its offensive. As a result, Russia has entered the civil war and replaced the national government. This has caused Ukraine to suffer the most. Although Putin has not explicitly stated it, his imperial ambitions are the primary cause of the Ukraine Russia War.
