from our correspondent
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden proposes a summit to Vladimir Putin. At the same time he prepares to announce the date of withdrawal from Afghanistan: September 11, 2021, the twentieth anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers. The approximately 2,500 American soldiers will therefore return home and, according to the NATO agreements, also the 7,000 of the allied countries, including the 800 Italians. Among other things, Biden defined the link with Italy as “vital”, celebrating 160 years of diplomatic relations with our country. Yesterday, however, the American president focused on the dangerous escalation in Ukraine. He had one long phone call with the Russian leader who in an interview on March 17 he had defined a “killer”. But, evidently, the multiplication of crises requires the resumption of dialogue. The Washington administration takes seriously the requests for help arriving from Kiev and monitors the maneuvers of the Russians: 40,000 soldiers amassed on the Ukrainian eastern border and another 40,000 moved to Crimea, the peninsula occupied by Moscow in 2014. In addition, the ministry of the Russian Defense makes it known that 15 warships are en route to the Black Sea, “In the framework of exercises already planned”.
However, it is difficult not to notice the coincidence: a few days ago the Turkish government announced that the Americans intend to send combat units (perhaps an aircraft carrier) off the coast of Crimea. The Pentagon, however, does not confirm. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned Americans sharply: “Stay away from Crimea and our coasts. I say this for their sake “. Biden’s ministers are mobilized. The secretary of state, Antony Blinken, yesterday met his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, in Brussels, in the wake of a NATO meeting on the crisis. Meanwhile, the secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, announces from Berlin that the United States will not only not reduce the contingent deployed in Germany, but will actually reinforce it by adding 500 soldiers to the approximately 36,000 in service. The matter is becoming more and more complicated. An example: now also the Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposes himself as mediator.
Biden has therefore decided to test Putin: an opening and also a political challenge. The statement released by the White House reads: «President Biden has given great importance to the inflexible American commitment to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine … and has asked Russia to ease the tensions. The president’s goal is build a stable and predictable relationship with Russia, which is compatible with the interests of the United States ”. Conclusion: Biden “has proposed a summit to be held in a third country in the coming months to discuss the entire spectrum of issues affecting the US and Russia”. In addition to Ukraine, the list includes nuclear weapons, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan itself.
April 13, 2021 (change April 13, 2021 | 22:32)
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