Biden slams Trump's Ukraine policy as ‘modern-day appeasement'
Speaking from Delaware in an exclusive interview with the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme, Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin views Ukraine as part of Russia and warned against assuming that conceding land would stop further aggression. 'Anybody that thinks he's going to stop (if territory is conceded) is just foolish,' he told the BBC.
Biden's remarks come as Allied nations mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. He expressed alarm over the potential breakdown of US-Europe relations under President Donald Trump, telling the BBC that it 'would change the modern history of the world.'
The interview covered a wide range of topics, including Biden's own legacy on Ukraine, his decision to exit the 2024 presidential race, and the direction of Trump's second term. Biden dropped out less than four months before the election following a debate performance that raised concerns about his age and capabilities.
When asked if he should have stepped aside earlier to allow more time for a successor, he responded, 'I don't think it would have mattered. We left at a time when we had a good candidate.' He added, 'things moved so quickly that it made it difficult to walk away. And it was a hard decision… I think it was the right decision. I think that… it was just a difficult decision.'
Addressing US foreign policy under Trump, Biden rejected recent remarks by Trump calling for the US to reclaim the Panama Canal, acquire Greenland, and make Canada the 51st state. 'What the hell's going on here? What president ever talks like that? That's not who we are,' Biden told the BBC. 'We're about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.'
On the war in Ukraine, Biden defended his administration's support for Kyiv during his presidency, asserting, 'we gave them everything they needed to provide for their independence, and we were prepared to respond, more aggressively, if Putin moved again.'
He also condemned recent Trump administration suggestions that Ukraine should agree to territorial concessions in exchange for peace. Vice President JD Vance recently said a peace deal would 'freeze the territorial lines… close to where they are today,' while Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders 'unrealistic.'
In response, Biden told the BBC, 'it is modern-day appeasement,' invoking comparisons to former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's failed strategy of appeasing Adolf Hitler before World War II.
He also warned of the broader geopolitical consequences of such a move, stating that, 'Europe is going to lose confidence in the certainty of America and the leadership of America.'
Trump has previously stated that Russia should retain Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and last month criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for rejecting a peace proposal. Media reports suggest recent U.S. proposals might include formal or de facto recognition of Russian control over parts of Ukrainian territory, though the White House has not confirmed such details. When asked about his stance on the matter, Trump said, 'I have no favourites. I don't want to have any favourites. I want to have a deal done.'
The BBC noted that pressure to compromise is not only coming from Washington. Last month, Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko told the broadcaster that Ukraine may need to temporarily give up some territory.
Biden voiced deep concern about the long-term consequences of such thinking. 'I just don't understand how people think that if we allow a dictator, a thug, to decide he's going to take significant portions of land that aren't his, that that's going to satisfy him. I don't quite understand,' he told the BBC. He warned that if Ukraine concedes territory, some NATO countries bordering Russia might eventually 'just say we've got to make an accommodation.'
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have frayed in recent months. In February, a contentious Oval Office meeting saw Trump and Vance scold Zelensky, demanding more public gratitude for American aid. Biden told the BBC he was appalled. 'I found it sort of beneath America in the way that took place,' he said.
While the US remains Ukraine's largest individual donor, European nations have collectively contributed more, according to the Kiel Institute. Yet Trump and his officials continue to accuse Europe of not pulling its weight. Biden pushed back on this criticism saying, 'I don't understand how they fail to understand that there's strength in alliances…There's benefits… It saves us money overall.'
Asked to compare his record with Trump's first 100 days back in office—which have seen sweeping executive actions and major budget cuts—Biden sought to draw a sharp contrast. 'Our economy was growing. We were moving in a direction where the stock market was way up. We were in a situation where we were expanding our influence around the world in a positive way, increasing trade,' he said of the state of the country when he left office in January.
When asked directly for his opinion on Trump's performance since returning to the White House, Biden simply said, 'I'll let history judge that. I don't see anything that was triumphant.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
WATCH: Supposed Indian-origin man shouts ‘bomb the flight' and ‘death to Trump' mid-flight on EasyJet plane
A seemingly middle-aged man was arrested on Sunday morning after causing panic aboard an EasyJet flight from London Luton to Glasgow, repeatedly shouting threats including 'I'm going to bomb the plane!' and 'Death to America! Death to Trump!' as passengers tackled him mid-air. The flight, designated EZY609, was met by police upon landing at Glasgow Airport around 8:20 am local time, where the man was taken into custody. According to New York Post citing one witness, the man carried documents suggesting he was an Indian national with refugee status. According to New York Post, the suspect allegedly shouted that he wanted to 'send a message' to US President Donald Trump, who was in Scotland at the time, visiting his Turnberry golf course. The incident occurred roughly an hour after takeoff from Luton. The man also kept shouting 'Allahu Akbar' while raising his hands aggressively. Footage shared online shows the man shouting the threats, as a passenger wrestles him to the floor. Following this, he seemingly gives up and stops shouting. 'DEATH to Trump' and 'ALLAHU AKBAR' — man causes panic on flight Says he's going to 'BOMB the plane' SLAMMED to ground by passenger — RT (@RT_com) July 27, 2025 The plane, already close to its destination, was placed under emergency landing protocol as air traffic control cleared a safe path for descent. Officers from Police Scotland boarded the aircraft upon arrival and detained the man. A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed, according to The Jerusalem Post: 'We received a report of a man causing a disturbance on a flight arriving in Glasgow around 8:20 am on Sunday, 27 July 2025. A 41-year-old man was arrested and remains in custody. Enquiries are continuing.' Authorities added that counterterrorism officers are assessing the footage and conducting a full investigation. Police believe the man acted alone and there is no indication of a wider threat. In a statement, EasyJet said according to The Jerusalem Post said: 'Flight EZY609 from Luton to Glasgow this morning was met by police on arrival in Glasgow, where they boarded the aircraft and removed a passenger due to their behaviour onboard.' They added, 'EasyJet's crew are trained to assess all situations and act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time. The safety and well-being of our customers and crew is always EasyJet's highest priority.' (With inputs from BBC, The Jerusalem Post, New York Post)
Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
US, China officials to hold trade talks in Stockholm: What to expect?
Senior officials from the United States and China will meet in Stockholm today to discuss trade and economic issues, in what both sides describe as a step toward easing tensions. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will be meeting for the third time this year, nearly four months after President Donald Trump proposed sweeping tariffs, including an import tax of up to 145% on Chinese goods. The meeting is also expected to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year. The planned meeting in the Swedish capital is part of broader efforts by both countries to stabilise a relationship that has been strained by trade disputes, technology competition, and geopolitical rivalry. While officials have kept the agenda under wraps, it is expected, as per AP, that the discussions will cover: This could be the first real opportunity for the two governments to address structural reform issues including market access in China for US companies, said Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, as per AP. The US imposed a 20% tariff on fentanyl-related products earlier this year. China responded with a 10% tariff on US goods. In July, China placed two fentanyl precursor chemicals under enhanced control. Gabriel Wildau, managing director at the consultancy Teneo, said major relief is unlikely. 'It's possible that Trump would cancel the 20% tariff that he has explicitly linked with fentanyl… but I would expect the final tariff level on China to be at least as high as the 15–20% rate contained in the recent deals with Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam.' A key concern for Washington is China's industrial overcapacity. 'Right now, many companies, especially in manufacturing, feel quite deeply that China's manufacturing capacity is so strong, and the Chinese people are incredibly diligent,' Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday, as per Bloomberg News. 'Factories run 24 hours a day.' The US is expected to pressure China on reducing oil purchases from Russia and Iran. The Stockholm talks will be 'geared towards building a trade agreement based around Chinese purchase commitments and pledges of investment in the US in exchange for partial relief from US tariffs and export controls,' Wildau said, as per AP. (With inputs from AP)
Mint
10 minutes ago
- Mint
Operation Sindoor debate: Opposition questions — ‘huge security lapse', ‘no proof terrorists came from Pakistan'
Parliament is gearing up for a fierce debate over Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack on Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to address the Lok Sabha around noon, while Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi is likely to lead the debate from the Opposition's side. Ahead of the Parliament session, Gaurav Gogoi said, "...the government will have to tell the truth, today." Reacting to Congress leader P Chidambaram's "no proof Pahalgam terrorists came from Pakistan" comment, Gogoi said, "He [Chidambaram] will be able to give more information on this." Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also said, "Chidambaram sahib might be saying the right thing." He also said that Home Minister Amit Shah should have resigned over the Pahalgam terror attack incident. "The Pahalgam attack was a huge security lapse in Centre-governed J&K. The terrorists entered 400 km inside J&K. These terrorists have not been found yet. This is a lapse on the part of the Home Ministry. The Home Minister should have resigned," Sanjay Raut said. He also questioned the government over US President Donald Trump claims about the "US-brokered' ceasefire deal between India and Pakistan during May conflict. "I think the Prime Minister will not come as he will have to answer questions about President Trump," he said. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav said, "Firstly, one has to accept that there are two separate issues. Firstly, we congratulate the Armed Forces for their bravery and valour during Operation Sindoor. If they had got a chance, they might have even taken PoK." "Before the Pahalgam attack, there was another incident that the public has not yet been informed about. The question is - why are terrorist incidents happening again and again under the BJP government? Where did the Pahalgam terrorists go? The government should answer where these terrorists went," Yadav asked. A fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor is expected to unfold in Parliament between top leaders from the ruling alliance and the opposition. Lok Sabha List of Business for Monday states, "Special Discussion on India's strong, successful and decisive 'Operation Sindoor' in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam". Twenty-six civilians were killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, after which India retaliated through precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
