Biden Disputes Claims NATO Expansion Led to Russian Aggression
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Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Joe Biden disputed criticism Wednesday that ties to Russia were deteriorated by NATO extending into eastern Europe.
While speaking to the Atlantic Council, Biden said the current crisis was not born during NATO expansion 15 years ago.
“It was born in the Kremlin. It was born in Putin’s mind,” he said. “It has nothing to do with the fact that we expanded NATO.”
While the vice president did not directly mention the new sanctions against Russia from the Obama administration, he suggested “costs” against Putin may not overcome decades of attempted progress in Ukraine.
“We have to be resolute in imposing costs,” Biden said. “And I’ll note parenthetically that costs are going to be shared in some cases disproportionately. That’s the reality.”
He also called on NATO allies to increase their military spending in order to support efforts on Russia’s borders. The need for NATO is greater than ever as a result of the crisis in Ukraine, according to the vice president.
“Russia needs to know it cannot, and I believe they do know, have it both ways,” he said. “If Russia wants to benefit from the international order, it has to respect that order and abide by the rules.”
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