Russian leader says war is about Russia’s right to exist, as US president describes it as a battle for freedom, in vastly different speeches
In their speeches, Joe Biden andcould not have been further apart in their interpretations of the past year, its culprits, causes, and consequence. But in one aspect they were agreed: this is a war intended to remain on the territory of Ukraine, but is being elevated into something far wider – a battle of survival between the west and Russia. Both men also implicitly tied their own futures to the outcome of this war, saying their opponent was bound to lose.
The contrast in settings, format and sequencing probably aided Biden, even if the US president failed to quite reach the oratorical heights the historic moment deserved. The only drama that came close to the Reagan demand in Berlin in 1987 to “tear down this wall” was when Biden claimed “Every day that the war goes on is his choice. He could end the war with one word. It’s easy.”
The substance of his speech lay in his insistence that the west had been tested, and had chosen not to look away. As a result, autocrats had grown weaker, not stronger, and “Ukraine will never, ever become a victory for Russia,” he said. Sam Greene, a professor of Russian politics at King’s College London, has previously said Putin’s speeches are normally not designed to be informative, but to achieve three goals: provide rhetorical room for manoeuvre, galvanise domestic audiences and disorientate foreign audiences.
Finally, it tried to make the west worry vaguely about nuclear arms control by suspending Russia’s membership of New Start. It tried, as did Biden, to convince his enemy that he was in for the long haul, since the Russian economy cannot merely survive despite sanctions, but flourish as a more self-sufficient entity based on small and medium sized enterprise, and new export markets.
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