President Joe Biden reportedly blames former President Barack Obama for mishandling the 2014 Ukraine crisis, which he believes laid the groundwork for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a forthcoming book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward.
In his book “War,” set to be released on October 15, Woodward claims that Biden, who served as vice president under Obama and was the administration’s point person on Ukraine, privately criticised his former boss’s approach to Russia. “They f—ked up in 2014,” Biden allegedly told a close friend, as reported by CNN, adding, “That’s why we are here. We f—ked it up. Barack never took [Russian President Vladimir] Putin seriously.”
Biden reportedly expressed frustration with the lack of decisive action during the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia, which marked the beginning of ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. He emphasised the administration’s failure to act, saying, “We did nothing. We gave Putin a license to continue!” Biden also declared, “Well, I’m revoking his f—king license!”
In 2014, Obama’s administration responded to Russia’s invasion of Crimea by imposing economic sanctions and providing military aid to Ukraine, though it stopped short of sending lethal weaponry. This restraint has been criticised as too weak in the face of Putin’s aggression, a view seemingly shared by Biden, who felt the administration failed to grasp the seriousness of the Russian threat.
Russia has maintained control over Crimea despite Ukraine’s efforts to reclaim the territory through sabotage and restrictions on resources like water. Putin further escalated the conflict by supporting pro-Russian factions in Ukraine’s Donbas region, a situation that served as a pretext for Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Obama’s tenure was marked by an effort to reset relations with Russia, particularly during the brief period between 2008 and 2012 when Putin stepped down as president and Dmitry Medvedev took over.
Obama attempted to ease tensions and sought greater cooperation with Moscow. However, his approach came under scrutiny after a 2012 hot mic incident during which Obama told Medvedev that he would have more “flexibility” regarding missile defence talks after re-election.
Later that year, during a debate with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Obama downplayed the threat Russia posed to the U.S., famously quipping, “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War’s been over for 20 years.”
Biden’s frustration with Obama is just one of several revelations in Woodward’s book. The president also reportedly regretted appointing Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose Justice Department has been handling the case against Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
Woodward claims Biden confided in a friend, saying, “Should never have picked Garland. This is never going to f—ing go away.”
Hunter Biden has faced multiple legal issues, including federal gun charges and accusations of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes. Despite these charges, President Biden has publicly stated he will not pardon his son.
“War” is expected to reveal additional insights into Biden’s presidency, including his views on foreign policy, his relationship with Obama, and the challenges surrounding his administration.
