In Biden-Putin Meeting, U.S. Presents Geopolitical "Us vs. Them" Worldview

What came across in the briefing given by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on today’s meeting between Biden and Putin, is that it’s “us vs them"—our bloc versus their bloc. Sullivan repeated ad nauseam “our European allies” being one with the U.S., reporting that following the meeting, Biden again briefed the U.K.’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, France’s President Macron, Germany’s outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi. “Our team” was briefing all embassies of NATO member countries, and Biden is planning to meet with leaders of both houses of Congress to see “how we can work together on a bipartisan basis to defend American values and interests.” Biden is also planning to speak with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Thursday, and follow up “with our European colleagues to ensure that our engagement with Russia involves and is closely coordinated with our European allies, so we are all on the same page.” Can’t have any stragglers. And, Sullivan warned, “as we pursue diplomatic channels, we are prepared for all contingencies, including specific responses to Russian escalation,” should they be required.