Corentin Sellin, associate professor of history and specialist in the United States, estimates on franceinfo Sunday March 27 that‘”there were reminiscences of the Cold War in the speech” of Joe Biden on Saturday, in Warsaw, who notably launched that Vladimir Poutine “must not stay in power” after his invasion of Ukraine. A statement that was then qualified by the White House.
Joe Biden spontaneously launched on Saturday in a speech that Vladimir Putin “must not stay in power”: why is it difficult for him to assume?
It is the difference between the democratic morality which Joe Biden has really made the standard of his diplomacy and political realism.
“In front of him, he has a Vladimir Putin who has been convinced for a very long time, and who has made it a focus of his story, that he is going to be overthrown by the United States, that the United States is plotting against him with the Westerners.”
Corentin Sellin, associate professor of history and specialist in the United Statesat franceinfo
We hear Vladimir Putin very often return to these themes. Obviously, saying in an improvised way that he cannot stay in power is to comfort Putin in this form of paranoia. From that point of view, it’s embarrassing. At the same time, it indeed stems from a strategy of moral denunciation by Joe Biden, which is completely assumed. There, indeed, there is perhaps a sort of excitement. His speech was extremely rhetorically charged. He may have gotten carried away, that’s what his advisers suggest after the speech.
Joe Biden focuses his criticism on Vladimir Putin and not on the Russian people: what is his interest in adopting this posture?
It is a bet made since the start of the war in Ukraine by the Biden administration, to say that the Russian population, despite the restrictive measures taken by the Putin regime, still has access to Western information. They are not completely cut off from the world, so our message must tell them the merits of democracy, the merits of the law, and also show them how this leader is leading them into an impasse. It is really assumed by the Biden administration. But at the same time, we must obviously not give the impression of wanting a change of regime, of wanting to choose politically in the place of the Russian population. This is where last night Joe Biden got a little overwhelmed.
Joe Biden is protective of Europe and NATO territory: is this a readjustment of American doctrine?
Yes. This is why Joe Biden’s trip was going very well. The current situation confirms all of its doctrine set out last year. First, democracy is once again becoming the mainstay of US diplomacy. Secondly, it is to make the allies responsible, to share the burden of the fight for democracy in the world with the allies, by reassuring them and making them responsible. This is exactly what was done during these three days. Joe Biden announced that he would maintain a declaratory nuclear policy in line with what NATO allies wanted, telling them at the same time that the United States will always be there, with the famous article 5 of the NATO treaty. Atlantic Alliance, that the United States would always come to the aid of the Europeans if they were attacked.
By charging Vladimir Putin in this way, is Joe Biden flattering his public opinion?
Yes, there were Cold War reminiscences in that speech yesterday. We came back a little to Ronald Reagan tones. Russia had been somewhat replaced by China over the past decade, which appeared to be the main enemy of the United States. But since the war in Ukraine, there is a return to the old Russian enemy, especially since Putin has a Soviet background in a way, so he also refers to the Cold War.