Overview:
A new book by Bob Woodward reveals President Joe Biden’s frustration with former President Barack Obama’s handling of Russia, claiming that Obama’s failure to take Vladimir Putin seriously in 2014 paved the way for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Biden’s remarks point to his belief that stronger actions could have prevented the escalation.
Why It Matters: The handling of Russia by previous U.S. administrations has had long-term global consequences, highlighting the importance of strong leadership in confronting adversarial nations.
Who It Impacts: This issue directly impacts national security, military strategy, and the global geopolitical landscape, particularly concerning U.S. foreign policy and relations with Russia.
In a striking revelation from Bob Woodward’s latest book, President Joe Biden privately blamed his predecessor, Barack Obama, for enabling Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine. Biden’s remarks suggest that he believes the former president’s inaction during Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea emboldened Vladimir Putin, leading to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to the book, Biden told a friend, “They fed up in 2014… That’s why we are here. We fed it up. Barack never took Putin seriously.”
The annexation of Crimea, a key moment in Russia’s resurgence on the global stage, was met with widespread condemnation but little direct action from the U.S. government at the time. Russian soldiers, without identifying insignias, seized control of key locations in Crimea, and Russia formally annexed the region shortly after. Obama’s administration decided against providing military aid to Ukraine, a decision that has since been criticized by Ukrainian officials and Biden alike.
Woodward’s book, titled War, underscores Biden’s frustration, detailing a conversation in which he reportedly fumed, “We did nothing. We gave Putin a license to continue! Well, I’m revoking his f***ing license!” The comments reveal Biden’s perspective that the Obama administration’s reluctance to confront Putin head-on contributed to Russia’s growing boldness in the region.
The Biden-Harris administration became aware of Russia’s plans for a larger invasion as early as October 2021, thanks to a significant intelligence breakthrough. U.S. intelligence, including a human source within the Kremlin, obtained detailed information on Putin’s military strategy, akin to being “hunched over the maps” of Russian battle plans. This intelligence coup provided U.S. officials with unprecedented insight into Putin’s intentions, signaling the severity of the impending crisis.
As tensions escalated, Biden confronted Putin directly in a heated video conference in December 2021. The hour-long conversation reportedly reached a boiling point, with Putin threatening nuclear war as the two leaders clashed over Russia’s actions and intentions. The situation became increasingly dire as U.S. intelligence indicated that Putin was growing desperate in the face of mounting Russian losses in Ukraine. By mid-2022, intelligence reports suggested there was as much as a 50% chance that Putin might resort to using tactical nuclear weapons, a scenario that deeply concerned U.S. officials.
Biden’s criticism of Obama sheds light on a larger issue: the long-term impact of U.S. foreign policy decisions and the need for decisive action when confronting adversaries. For Biden, the lessons of 2014 are clear—stronger measures should have been taken to deter Russian aggression before it spiraled into the full-scale invasion that has devastated Ukraine. The ongoing conflict underscores the dangers of appeasement and the critical importance of maintaining a firm stance in the face of authoritarian threats.
