Yuri Kobzar18:35, 07.03.25

Despite all the shortcomings of the previous US administration, the current one is much worse, the political scientist believes.

Joe Biden’s strategy toward Ukraine was heavily criticized while he was president of the United States. But after several weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, his predecessor already looks like a geopolitical genius, writes Alexander Motyl, a professor of political science at Rutgers University in Newark and an expert on Ukraine, Russia, and the Soviet Union, in an opinion piece for The Hill .

He recalled that Biden was criticized for the fact that military aid to Ukraine was insufficient and came too late, that he never formulated a clear strategy other than supporting Ukraine “as long as it takes.” Finally, he was accused of a clear reluctance to bring the situation to a complete military defeat of Russia.

“The criticism was justified. But compared to what his successor is doing in the Oval Office, he now looks like a real genius,” Motyl writes.

The analyst noted that, despite all the shortcomings of his policies, Biden achieved three important goals: Ukraine withstood the Russian invasion, Ukraine recaptured a significant part of the territory it initially lost, and by supporting Ukraine, Biden undermined Russia’s military potential and its geopolitical influence in the world.

Trump’s main criticism of Biden is the unfounded assertion that Russia would not have attacked Ukraine in 2022 if Trump had been the US president at the time.

“Counterfactuals are useful for analysis only if they are supported by some theory. Perhaps Putin might not have invaded because Trump is tough. But perhaps Putin would have invaded because Trump clearly admires him and his desire to divide the world into great power spheres of influence,” the analyst writes.

According to Motyl, Trump’s “consistent accommodationist behavior” toward Russia and its dictator looks like a much more plausible scenario in an alternative 2022 where Trump is in charge of America.

“Biden wasn’t sure he wanted Ukraine to win. Trump seems to be sure he wants Ukraine to lose. So, two and a half applause for Biden’s policy towards Ukraine and three loud “ugh”s for Trump’s policy,” the political scientist sums up.

(C)UNIAN 2025