Joe Biden - The Diplomat

In Biden World, what is up, is down and what is right, is left. After months of promising Volodymyre Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, membership in NATO, Joe Biden has pulled the rug out from under him, taking the position that NATO can’t take on a new member who is engaged in a war. Under Article 5, all of NATO must defend and assist a member nation that is under attack. 

Since conditions have been mentioned by Biden, regarding accepting Ukraine into NATO, especially the following condition - Ukraine can join but, cannot use the existing conflict to activate Article 5. The NATO nations are promising continued assistance with equipment, training, and intelligence. However, if the war with Russia ends and then Russia resumes the war at a later date, then Article 5 could be invoked.

The big problem is the United States is again carrying the burden of the cost and equipment. Presently, only 10 of the 31 NATO countries are paying their fair share, leaving the U.S. paying for most of the freight. The U.S. can’t afford to keep floating the boat for the deadbeat NATO countries. Especially after the Biden Administration’s spending of trillions and trillions of dollars. 

At this point, the best thing so far for Ukraine has been the revolt of Russia’s mercenaries, the Wagner Group. Russia’s leader Putin is in a Mexican standoff with Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Putin’s army is in shambles and is unable to fight the Wagner Group or the Ukrainian Army, and most certainly can’t fight both at the same time. Supposedly, Putin and Prigozhin have settled their differences, and we will have to wait and see who will knife who in the back first. 

The next six months will be telling. Will Putin continue to rule Russia? Will Wagner Group withdraw from its positions in Russia? And finally, will Russia give up the fight in Ukraine? Enough Russian troops have jumped over to the Wagner Group and many have gone over to the side of Ukraine, more than enough to destroy the remaining demoralized Russian Army. Putin may be forced to take a peace plan in order to survive.