Biden to meet NATO’s eastern members over Ukraine, China and Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden will meet leaders of NATO’s eastern flank on Wednesday to show support for their security after Moscow suspended a landmark nuclear arms control treaty. Biden arrived in Warsaw late on Monday after a surprise visit to Kyiv just days ahead of the anniversary of Russia›s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
During the period of highest tension between Russia and the West in the decades since the Cold War, Biden addressed thousands in downtown Warsaw on Tuesday and said «autocrats» like Russian President Vladimir Putin must be opposed.
Hours earlier, Putin delivered lengthy remarks laden with criticism of the Western powers, blaming them for the war in Ukraine. Putin also backed away from the New START arms control treaty – a 2010 agreement that limits the number of Russian and U.S. deployed strategic nuclear warheads – and warned that Moscow could resume nuclear tests.
On Wednesday, Biden will meet staff from the U.S. embassy in Warsaw before gathering leaders of the Bucharest Nine, the countries on NATO›s eastern flank such as Poland, Bulgaria and Lithuania who joined the Western military alliance after being dominated by Moscow during the Cold War. Most are among the strongest supporters of military aid to Ukraine, and officials from countries in the group have called for additional resources such as air defence systems.
At the meeting, Biden plans to reaffirm commitments over their security and discuss support for Ukraine before he returns to Washington. Russia regards NATO, which could soon expand to include Sweden and Finland, as an existential threat.