Joe Biden lands in Brussels to send Putin a message of Western unity

Joe Biden has landed in Brussels to ship Vladimir Putin the message that, within the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Western alliance is stronger than it has ever been for the reason that finish of the Chilly Battle.

The US President has a packed agenda for his journey to the Belgian capital: his day will begin within the morning with an emergency NATO summit to then be adopted by a gathering of the Group of Seven (G7) and conclude by becoming a member of his EU counterparts on the European Council constructing.

The extraordinary coincidence of the three high-level encounters responds to the deteriorating scenario inside Ukraine, the place the Russian advance has stalled however the dying toll continues to mount and cities are shelled and bombed. The siege of Mariupol has drawn excessive condemnation from the worldwide neighborhood, with a United Nations official describing it as “hellish” and “determined.”

Biden himself has warned that Putin is perhaps contemplating resorting to organic and chemical weapons to hurry up the navy marketing campaign, a situation that might open a harmful and unpredictable chapter within the month-long struggle.

The EU is already engaged on a brand new “huge” set of sanctions if these weapons, that are banned beneath worldwide regulation, are finally used, a EU official mentioned talking on situation of anonymity.

Biden’s go to is supposed to strengthen the US response on “three vital fronts,” in line with Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan: to equip Ukraine militarily, impose extra prices on Russia and reinforce the Western alliance.

“We’re ready and dedicated to this for so long as it takes,” Sullivan mentioned throughout a press briefing.

The White Home has put the bloc in a decent spot after introducing a complete ban on imports of Russian fossil fuels, the Kremlin’s most worthwhile sector. Earlier this week, EU international ministers failed to succeed in an settlement over an analogous ban on oil merchandise as a consequence of disagreements between member states.

It stays to be seen if Biden will convey up the delicate topic, which has break up member states in pro-energy ban, anti-ban and somewhat-in-between groups.

“Will probably be good for Biden to see these totally different views for himself,” mentioned the EU official.

When Biden enters the European Council premises on Thursday afternoon, he’ll grow to be the primary US president to take part bodily in an EU summit.

Fellow G7 leaders — Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau, UK’s PM Boris Johnson and Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida — haven’t acquired an invite to affix, regardless of additionally flying to Brussels to attend the G7 assembly.

China and Zelenskyy

A topic that Biden is definite to desk is China’s position within the battle.

China, a detailed companion with Russia however which has shut financial ties with the US and the EU, has chosen a intentionally ambiguous place, calling for “most restraint” whereas condemning the hard-hitting Western sanctions. US officers have mentioned Beijing is perhaps keen to offer Moscow with monetary and navy help, a declare that China vehemently denied.

“This might be a possibility — Thursday — for the US and our European companions to coordinate intently on what our message is,” Sullivan mentioned. “We consider we’re very a lot on the identical web page with our European companions, and we might be talking with one voice on this problem.”

The bloc is ready to carry a digital EU-China summit on April 1 to deal with long-standing tensions between the 2 sides, equivalent to commerce frictions, human rights and an ongoing dispute with Lithuania. The encounter with Xi Jinping was scheduled earlier than Putin launched the invasion, however the matter might be nonetheless excessive on the dialog.

Biden is predicted to remain contained in the European Council from 4:30 to six PM, though the timing can change given the day’s busy agenda. Attributable to time constraints, not all EU leaders can have an opportunity to intervene. The 2 sides are poised to unveil measures to cut back the bloc’s dependency on Russian fuel, principally although the elevated buy of liquified pure fuel (LNG), a product of which the US is a number one exporter.

As soon as the commander-in-chief leaves the room — he’s flying to Poland the next day — the 27 will proceed to debate the Ukraine struggle and take inventory to the outcomes achieved to date by the sanctions, trying into potential loopholes and methods to make the penalties more practical.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will tackle leaders at round 7 PM by way of video name, however there won’t be an trade of views between the leaders.

Vitality dilemma

On Friday, the EU summit will flip to electrical energy costs, which have been persistently excessive for the reason that finish of summer season. The query has grow to be a paramount menace to some governments, equivalent to Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, who’s main the cost for reforms to the EU power market.

His effort has attracted a number of supporters, together with Greece, Portugal, Italy and even Belgium, however is but to obtain a majority backing. Member states have vastly totally different power mixes, placing them on disparate beginning factors and complicating the street in direction of consensus, prefer it was painfully mirrored in earlier summits.

The Ukraine struggle, although, has given a brand new impetus to the requires reforms. The European Fee has put ahead a number of formidable concepts, equivalent to redistribution of windfall earnings, obligatory storage ranges, widespread purchases and a roadmap to slash Russian fuel imports by two thirds earlier than the top of the yr.

However, “there isn’t any single simple reply to deal with excessive electrical energy costs,” the Fee admits in its newest paper.

The dialogue on Friday is ready to be lengthy and fraught amongst leaders, who’re beneath huge stress at house to convey tangible options to an issue hurting households and corporations throughout the continent.

Among the many burning questions might be who foots the invoice for the additional expenses which can be sure to be brought on by proposed measures equivalent to value caps on electrical energy, decreased taxation or further earnings help.

After power, the EU summit will concentrate on safety and defence, the evolution of COVID-19 and the state of the financial system. Conclusions are set to be revealed on the finish of each days.

At one level on Thursday, European Council President Charles Michel is predicted to be re-elected as his 2.5-years time period approaches its finish. Michel should win the approval of the 27 by certified majority, which he’s all however assured.