In an interview with CNN, US President Joe Biden made it clear that, in his opinion, Russian President Vladimir Putin completely miscalculated the war of aggression against Ukraine. While Biden considers Putin a "rational actor", his goals are irrational.
According to US President Joe Biden, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin misjudged his war of aggression against Ukraine. "I think he's a rational actor who has miscalculated significantly," Biden told US broadcaster CNN in an interview that aired Tuesday night. Putin had wrongly assumed that the Ukrainians would submit to a Russian invasion.
"I think he thought he was going to be welcomed with open arms," Biden said. "I think he just completely miscalculated." Although he believes that Putin is acting rationally, his goals in Ukraine are irrational.
This also becomes clear when one listens to Putin's speech, which he gave immediately after his decision to launch a war of aggression against Ukraine. Putin spoke there of the idea that he was needed as the leader of a Russia "that unites all Russian-speaking people," said Biden. "I just think it's irrational."
When asked whether Putin could carry out his threats to use nuclear weapons, Biden said: "I don't think he will." But it was "irresponsible" for the head of state of one of the world's largest nuclear powers to say he could use a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine. As a result, mistakes could be made and misjudgments made. "He cannot talk about using a tactical nuclear weapon with impunity as if that were a reasonable thing to do."
The Russian leadership, meanwhile, is open to a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Biden. If Washington were to offer a meeting at the G20 summit, Moscow would consider it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Russian state television.
According to him, the Kremlin would also be prepared to "listen to any proposals for peace talks" - for example, mediated by Turkey. However, he could not say in advance where this process would lead, Lavrov explained. He then further qualified that there had been no proposals to get in touch with the USA.
