Joe Biden’s mindless remarks against Russian President Vladimir Putin have triggered an unprecedented diplomatic row between the United States and Russia. As President of the US, Joe Biden did not for once hesitate to refer to his Russian counterpart as ‘a killer’. Speculations are abounding, over the prospect of yet another Cold War being initiated between the two superpowers. However, in what comes as bad news for President Biden, countries like Turkey, Israel, Japan and India are beginning to increasingly side with Moscow. None of these countries is liking the high-handedness of the Biden administration and have hence decided to go along with Russia over a multiplicity of issues.
Russia, for Democrats, remains the eternal enemy, which must be tamed and sanctioned. In 2021, however, the democratic world has little tolerance for such Russia-fascination of the American deep state. It is, therefore, no coincidence that in recent days, the alienation of American allies has been exacerbated. In line with the same, Turkey – a NATO ally has pitched in with Recep Tayyip Erdogan giving his two bits on the entire ‘killer’ fiasco triggered by Biden. And what Erdogan has to say is no good news for the US President.
Lauding Putin for giving a “smart” and “classy response,” the Turkish President told reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul, “Mr Biden’s comment about Putin does not suit a head of state.”
The relation between the Democrats and Turkey has never been good. Erdogan is still waiting for a phone call from President Biden, whose administration has highlighted Turkey’s deteriorating record on human rights. Turkey-US relations are also reeling under the stress of Ankara purchasing the advanced S-400 air defence systems from Moscow. What’s worse, Erdogan has not forgotten how Biden had called him an “autocrat” in an interview in late 2019. As such, despite being on the opposite sides not just in Syria, but also last year’s war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, Erdogan has called Putin a “friend and a strategic partner.”
Israel, as reported by TFI recently, is itself turning to Russia after being cold-shouldered by the Biden administration. Recently, the foreign ministers of Russia and Israel met, and heaped praises on each other and the bilateral ties between their nations. The Israeli side, particularly, made no secret of the fact that they were willing to give up on the United States in order to cosy up to Moscow. We had also explained how Israel might have subtly indicated to Russia that the Kremlin could avail high-level intel from it, in order to strengthen its position in the Middle East. Joe Biden is particularly interested to revive the dead cause of Palestine, and Netanyahu has made up his mind to abandon the United States for as long as it is ruled by Democrats like Biden.
Read more: Netanyahu’s message to Biden is absolutely clear: We always have Russia to back us up
Japan too is not liking the abject surrender by the Biden administration before China. Not only does it not auger well for the most powerful country in the world to prostrate before the paper dragon, but also poses a national security and geopolitical threat to Tokyo. For this very reason, despite having historical differences with Moscow, Japan is now looking to deepen cooperation with it.
In January, Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi disclosed plans to carry out a joint economic activity with Russia on the Southern Kuril Islands. The Kuril Islands dispute– a legacy of the Second World War, has been at the root of cold relations between Moscow and Tokyo. Now, the Suga administration in Japan is signalling that it is ready to bury the historical dispute. Russia and Japan shouldn’t be fighting against each other over a decades-old dispute, rather they should be fighting together against a common enemy- China.
But the Kuril Islands is not it all. As a matter of fact, India-Japan-Russia maiden trilateral is looking at energy, coal mining, transport and logistics, maritime connectivity, diamond processing, agro-industry, forestry, pharma, healthcare, high technology, scientific research, capacity building, tourism, and humanitarian fields as the areas in which cooperation is possible in the Russian Far East region. Thus, a new era of international cooperation with Russia is just on the cusp of opening.
We now come to India, which is increasingly being guilt-tripped by the Biden administration for its close ties to Russia. Moscow has been New Delhi’s friend since the years when the United States aimed at containing India. So, for Washington DC to think that India would abandon Russia now is a foolish proposition, to say the least. In its endeavour to force India’s hand to distance itself from Russia, the Biden administration, via Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin raised the issue of New Delhi purchasing the advanced S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems.
The Biden administration is now threatening India with CAATSA sanctions if it follows through with the procurement of the Russian air defence systems, which by the way, are the most advanced in the world. India, however, has reportedly told the United States firmly that its armed forces have a diversified portfolio and have been using Russian systems for years. According to ThePrint, it has also told Washington that the process to acquire the Russian system began much before the US introduced the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which attracts sanctions against countries involved in trade with Moscow.
Joe Biden is thus evidently losing Cold War 2.0 against Russia, as countries increasingly begin siding with Moscow. By the end of his term, President Biden would have achieved an unimaginable feat – the alienation of all American allies.
