The City of London war-hawks expressed their panic that Biden may “appease” Russia in the upcoming meetings, in an article “U.S. Must Seize the Initiative at Talks with Russia.” Written by Keir Giles, a senior fellow in the Chatham House Russia and Eurasia Programme, he warns that “there is every sign Russia may end up getting something for nothing—which will only confirm for Moscow that military threats are the best way to achieve its goals.” He cites Biden’s mention of “finding an accommodation” for Russia’s concerns, and the “promise of negotiations” which endorses Moscow’s demands as acceptable for discussion as signs that Moscow believes it can “extract substantial concessions.”
Giles calls this a “Chamberlain moment,” warning of the danger of appeasing Russia for the sake of “temporary peace.”
He concludes his diatribe against Russia, but implicitly targeting Biden, by writing, “It is no longer time to discuss how to deter Russia when it has become clear that deterrence has failed. At that point there is no option but to plan not for deterring Russia, but for defeating it.”
