Biden, 'Cutting Ties' in International Relations?…Ukraine First Lady and Navalny's Wife Decline Biden's Invitation

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

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Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, has declined an invitation to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was also invited, refused to attend, drawing attention to the reasons behind their decisions. President Biden's team, which aimed to highlight these two figures symbolizing the Ukraine war and the anti-Putin forces within Russia as key themes of the address, is expected to face setbacks. Concerns are growing that Biden, who is expected to face a tough presidential election in November, is already being 'cut off' in international relations.

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The Office of the First Lady of Ukraine announced on the 6th (local time) that it declined President Biden's invitation to the State of the Union address. The New York Times (NYT) reported a statement from Tetiana Haiduchenko of the Ukrainian First Lady's office, saying, "Unfortunately, due to scheduled events including visits to orphanages, she will not be able to attend the event."

The White House, which intended to feature a symbolic figure of the Ukraine war at the last State of the Union before the election, appeared quite unsettled. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, First Lady Zelenska has been actively engaged on the international diplomatic stage, and in September last year, she visited the White House with President Volodymyr Zelensky to appeal for support.

However, disappointment in Ukraine has grown as U.S. support has sharply declined amid the failure to pass a $60 billion (approximately 80 trillion KRW) Ukraine aid package in the U.S. Congress, which remains stalled. The NYT pointed out, "In December last year, President Zelensky met with President Biden and U.S. lawmakers to push for the passage of the aid package but ultimately left Washington empty-handed."

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Navalnaya's side, invited alongside First Lady Zelenska, explained their absence by stating that Navalny's funeral had only recently taken place. Navalnaya's spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said, "She was indeed invited and considered attending, but her husband (Navalny) passed away only two weeks ago. He came home for the first time today. She is very grateful for the invitation but needs time to recover."

Although the refusal was based on personal circumstances, it is believed that political differences between the Biden administration and Navalny also contributed to hesitation in attending. Navalny has been a central figure for anti-Putin forces within Russia, but he supported Russia's forced annexation of Crimea in 2014 and has faced accusations of racism. The Washington Post (WP) reported that Navalny has historically supported the view that Crimea is Russian territory, and there are theories that one reason First Lady Zelenska declined Biden's invitation was because Navalnaya was also invited.

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As President Biden faces rejection from international figures invited to his crucial State of the Union address ahead of the election, concerns are rising that he may become isolated in future diplomatic relations. Reports have emerged that the Hungarian Prime Minister will discuss the Ukraine war with former President Donald Trump, a leading Republican presidential candidate, in Florida.

On the 5th, Hungarian Foreign Minister P?ter Szijj?rt? told Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, "Prime Minister Viktor Orb?n will visit Florida on the 8th to meet with former President Trump," adding, "At this meeting, Prime Minister Orb?n will discuss ways to restore peace in Ukraine." Szijj?rt? emphasized, "Orb?n's visit to the U.S. is not to support former President Trump in the U.S. election," but also noted, "If Trump had won the last election, the Ukraine war and the Gaza conflict would not have occurred."

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