The outgoing US leader’s “unhealthy interest” in the country strained relations with Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev has claimed
Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s term in office was marked by an “obsession” with Ukraine, causing political harm in the United States and worsening relations with Russia, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has claimed.
Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, made the comments on his Telegram channel on Monday. Criticizing Biden’s leadership, Medvedev said his Ukraine policies escalated tensions with Russia and created a lasting “crisis legacy” between Moscow and Washington.
He argued that Biden’s actions have left a diplomatic rift that may take decades to address, stating it is uncertain if normalization is even possible or necessary.
“While Biden’s problem was his confused state of mind, the fault of his administration was deliberately leaving a terrible legacy of crisis on the Russian track to their successors,” Medvedev said. “The time bombs of Biden-era decisions will keep ticking for a very long time, which is why communication will be extremely difficult.”
He also suggested Biden’s interest in Ukraine started during his tenure as vice president under Barack Obama but became an obsession during his presidency.
“When I had meetings with him, he didn’t yet have dementia. What did catch my attention was his unhealthy interest in Ukraine, even though he explained it to me by acting on Obama’s instructions,” Medvedev wrote.
The former president accused Biden of significant political errors stemming from a lack of understanding of Ukraine’s history and identity.
“Over time, those instructions turned into an obsession – the transformation facilitated by political mistakes, plain corruption, and poor judgement stemming from historical ignorance and failure to appreciate the nature of ‘Ukraineness.’ At some point, the old man went off the rails and essentially unleashed a war between the collective West and Russia, which almost led to a nuclear exchange with NATO,” he said.
Medvedev linked Biden’s policies to the intensification of the Ukraine conflict and warned of the risks of nuclear confrontation. “While it’s true that this war benefits the US economically, political costs and the real danger of a fatal conflict are far more important,” he added.
He further claimed Biden’s Ukraine focus contributed to the Democratic Party’s loss in the November presidential elections. “This is a case where the head of a major world power lost control of the situation completely, resulting in a crushing electoral defeat for the Democrats,” Medvedev wrote.
The remarks come amid ongoing tensions due to the Ukraine conflict, which escalated in February 2022. The Kremlin has repeatedly accused the West of provoking the war through NATO expansion and military aid to Ukraine.
Washington has provided approximately $100 billion in financial and military support to Kiev since the escalation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in December.
