Former US Vice President Joe Biden said that if he wins the presidential elections in November 2020, Russia will face the consequences if it intervenes again in the democratic process in America. This is stated in a written statement by Biden, published on his page in Medium.
“Despite the fact that Russia's malicious actions as a result of the work of the US intelligence community, law enforcement agencies and bipartisan congressional committees have been exposed, the Kremlin has not abandoned its attempts to interfere with our democratic processes,” the US Democratic presidential candidate said in a statement.
Biden refers to last year's congressional speech by FBI Director Christopher Ray, who said Russia "has full intentions to continue trying to interfere in our elections." Biden also referred to a briefing by the US State Department on March 27, which claims that Russia was allegedly spreading disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.
“Russia is not the only foreign entity trying to carry out such interference. Other states are showing a growing interest in copying Russian tactics, ”Biden said.
In his address, Biden criticizes the Donald Trump administration for not being tough on Russia. So, according to the Democrat, Trump did not impose the proper number of sanctions against Moscow as part of the 2017 Congress on Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions (CAATSA).
The former vice president said that despite Trump's "inaction", America's enemies should not feel unpunished.
“That is why today I am warning the Kremlin and other foreign governments: if I am elected president, I will regard foreign interference in our elections as a hostile act that will significantly affect the relationship between the United States and the authorities of the country committing such interference,” Biden said.
The statement said that the "consequences" that could entail interference in the American elections could include: "sanctions on the financial sector, freezing of assets, response in cyberspace and exposure of illegal actions."
At the same time, he said that he "has no desire to arrange an escalation of tension with Russia or any other country."
Hard line
It is worth noting that over the past few months, Biden, who won the Democratic primaries, has significantly increased anti-Russian rhetoric. For example, in late June, he expressed outrage that the Trump administration did not impose new sanctions on Russia after the American media spread information that Moscow allegedly offered Taliban militants * a reward for the killed American soldiers in Afghanistan.
Despite the fact that the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the absence of any data on this matter, the American media and politicians continue to talk about this as a confirmed fact.
“For this flagrant violation of international law, Donald Trump not only did not impose any sanctions and did not take any measures against Russia, but also continued his humiliating campaign of worshiping and humiliating Vladimir Putin in front of him,” Biden quoted The Hill as saying.
Biden said the New York Times article about the award made him "furious." He noted that "the Trump presidency itself is a real gift to Putin."
“If I am elected president, then you can rest assured that Vladimir Putin will be rebuffed and we will make Russia incur serious costs,” the democrat said.
- Vladimir Putin and Joseph Biden
- Reuters
- © Alexander Natruskin
Biden has noticeably increased not only anti-Russian rhetoric, but also the frequency of references to Russian President Vladimir Putin in his speeches. So, during his speech to reporters on June 30 in his home state of Delaware, he mentioned the Russian leader six times and said that he allegedly did not want Biden to become the president of the United States.
“When I was vice president and even earlier, I had extremely frank, straightforward conversations with Vladimir Putin. I think one of the reasons why he, apparently, does not want my victory in the presidential elections, is that he knows that in this case we will have even more straightforward conversations, ”said a colleague of Barack Obama.
Given the character traits of Joe Biden, such statements should not be taken seriously, says Yuri Rogulyov, director of the Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States at Moscow State University.
“Biden is a very specific person, prone to contradictory statements. When he visited Russia, he said that the countries are friends, and now he declares his intention to pursue a tough policy towards it. On the one hand, he threatens, and on the other, he declares that he is not a supporter of aggravated relations with Russia. This is all pure rhetoric, you should not take such statements seriously, ”the political scientist said in an interview with RT.
Joe Biden prepares the ground in advance for both future sanctions against Russia, as well as undermining the legitimacy of Donald Trump in the elections, said Nikita Danyuk, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts of the RUDN University.
“He simultaneously declares that he will not allow interference, and at the same time prepares reasons for increasing pressure on America's main opponents. I will not be surprised if soon China, Venezuela, North Korea and other objectionable regimes are accused of interference, ”the expert noted.
In this context, Biden chooses a win-win strategy, Nikita Danyuk believes.
“In the American political establishment and public consciousness, there is still the thesis that Trump allegedly won the election thanks to Russian interference. Biden says that he is definitely not the kind of person who will be supported in this way and that any actions of the enemies of the United States will benefit Trump, "the political scientist explained.
Perpetual "interference"
The Russian authorities have repeatedly stressed that allegations of interference are unsubstantiated and are used in the United States as a means to discredit political opponents. However, the American media and representatives of the establishment continue to disseminate this information, including at the state level.
For example, in April 2020, the Senate Intelligence Committee released a report stating that the conclusions of the American intelligence community about Russia's "interference" in the US presidential elections in 2016 are correct. In the document, American senators blamed the alleged interference on the Russian authorities, and also accused Moscow in advance of preparing another "interference" in the US presidential elections in 2020.
- Joseph Biden
- Reuters
- © Elizabeth Frantz
Given the already established hostile atmosphere in the United States towards Russia, the possible election of Joe Biden as president is unlikely to seriously worsen bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington, which are already at a low level, Yuri Rogulev believes.
“Russia and the United States have a rather weak connection, which occurs on military-strategic issues, therefore Russian-American relations depend to a large extent on the general atmosphere. Today the atmosphere in America is more hostile to Russia than ever. This leaves its mark, therefore, whoever comes to power this year, it will be difficult for him to reverse this trend, ”the expert noted.
In turn, Nikita Danyuk believes that bilateral relations will only get worse.
“America will perceive Russia as a potential threat. Among other things, Biden is the curator of today's Ukraine, and for him the post-Soviet space is a familiar region, where he has tremendous influence on local states. I do not exclude that if Biden becomes president, then the pressure on Russia will increase even more and we will definitely not hear from the US President that we need to negotiate and cooperate with Russia. Under Biden, the anti-Russian policy will be multiplied in two or three, ”the political scientist concluded.
* "Taliban" - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of February 14, 2003.