Biden Calls Putin a 'Rational' Actor Who Misjudged His Capabilities... Indirect Warning

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged that he misjudged the capabilities of President Vladimir Putin but described him as a rational actor. As concerns grow that Putin might order the extreme use of nuclear weapons, significantly escalating the war, Biden’s remarks are interpreted as a veiled warning about the possibility of nuclear use.

On the 11th (local time), in an interview on CNN’s program "CNN Tonight with Jake Tapper," President Biden stated about Putin, "I think he has seriously misjudged his own capabilities, but I consider him a 'rational actor.'" This comment was part of a segment partially released by CNN before the full interview aired.

Biden pointed out, "Putin, immediately after deciding to start the war, gave a speech expressing the idea that he needed to be the Russian leader who unites all Russian speakers. That was an irrational thought," adding, "Putin wrongly believed that Ukrainians would succumb to Russia’s invasion." He continued, "Putin’s objective was not rational. It seems he thought Ukrainians would welcome him with open arms."

Although Biden criticized Putin’s misjudgment, calling him rational is interpreted as reflecting Biden’s hope and expectation that Putin will not order extreme nuclear use. It is also seen as an indirect warning to Putin that nuclear use would lead to direct intervention by the U.S. and the West and could greatly escalate the Ukraine war into a nuclear conflict.

Earlier, on the 6th, President Biden expressed concern over Russia’s nuclear threats using the strong term "Armageddon" (the final war of humanity described in the Bible). Although the White House later stated there were no actual signs of a Russian nuclear threat, fears of nuclear war spread widely, negatively impacting global economic and financial sector investment sentiment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.