- Title: Biden calls Russia biggest threat to international order
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WALKING TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, JOE BIDEN, SAYING: "In two days, there will be a new president of the United States." MEMBER OF AUDIENCE BOOING "No, .... be a new president of the United States but the challenges we face and choices we must make as an international community don't hinge exclusively on Washington leadership. Oh, it matters, I'm not suggesting Washington leadership does not matter, but it does not hinge exclusively." BIDEN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, JOE BIDEN, SAYING: "Under President Putin, Russia has been working with every tool available to them to whittle away at the edges of the European project, test a fault line among western nations and return to politics defined by spheres of influence. We've seen their aggression against their neighbours, sending in the so-called little green men across borders to stir violence, and stir, strains of separatism in Ukraine. Using energy as a weapon, cutting off gas supplies mid-winter, raising prices to manipulate nations to act in Russia's interest, using corruption to empower oligarchs to coerce politicians. We've seen their worldwide use of propaganda and false information campaigns, injecting down political agitation in democratic systems, strengthening illiberal factions and forces on both left and right to seek out and roll back the decades of progress from within our systems. We even saw it in the cyber intrusions against political parties and individuals in the United States of America which our intelligence community, all 17, are determined with high confidence, I've been doing this for 46 years, they seldom use the phrase high confidence, that they were specifically motivated to influence the elections but it's not only the United States, I need not tell you, that has been targeted. Europe has seen the same kind of attacks in the past. With many countries in Europe slated to hold elections this year, we should expect further attempts by Russia to meddle in the democratic process. It will occur again, I promise you. And again the purpose is clear - to collapse the liberal international order. Simply put, Mr. Putin has a different vision of the future. One in which Russia is pursuing across the board. It seeks to return to a world where the strong pulls this world to its military might, corruption and criminality while weaker nations have to fall in line." BIDEN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, JOE BIDEN, SAYING: "Advanced technology has divorced productivity from labour, meaning we are making more than ever with fewer and fewer workers. There is a shrinking demand for low-skilled labourers. While highly-educated workers are getting paid more and more and contributing to the rising inequality. It's based on meritocracy but still has painful outcomes in some places. International trade and greater economic immigration has lifted millions of people in the developing world out of abject poverty, improving education, extending their lives, their expectations and opening new opportunities." BIDEN WALKING AWAY FROM PODIUM/AUDIENCE APPLAUDING
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 11:26
- Keywords: Vice President Joe Biden World Economic Forum Davos
- Location: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND
- City: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZLYO93
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, in his last major speech before leaving office, described Russia on Wednesday (January 18) as the biggest threat to the international liberal order and said Washington must work with Europe to stand up to Vladimir Putin.
"Under President Putin, Russia is working with every tool available to them to whittle away at the edges of the European project, test the fault lines of western nations and return to a politics defined by spheres of influence," Biden said.
Biden was speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos two days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president.
Trump has sent conciliatory signals to Putin and seemed to encourage the disintegration of the European Union by praising Britain's decision to leave the bloc and predicting that more countries could bolt.
Biden pushed back forcefully against Trump's message, warning hundreds of leaders, CEOs and bankers gathered in a vast conference hall in the Swiss Alps resort town that Putin was likely to try to influence a series of elections in Europe this year, as it is accused of doing in the recent U.S. vote.
"Under President Putin, Russia is working with every tool available to them to whittle away at the edges of the European project, test the fault lines of western nations and return to a politics defined by spheres of influence," Biden said.
"With many countries in Europe slated to hold elections this year, we should expect further attempts by Russia to meddle in the democratic process. It will occur again, I promise you. And again the purpose is clear: to collapse the liberal international order," Biden added.
Biden expressed concern about the growing inequality in incomes brought about by technological revolution and said the weakening of the lower and middle class endangered democratic order.
"Advanced technology has divorced productivity from labour, meaning we are making more than ever with fewer and fewer workers. There is a shrinking demand for low-skilled labourers. While highly-educated workers are getting paid more and more and contributing to the rising inequality," he said.
Without addressing Trump directly, Biden warned of a "dangerous willingness to revert to political small-mindedness" in politics and said that "dangerous autocrats and demagogues" had tried to capitalise on people's fears throughout history.
Biden called Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which states that an attack on one member of the transatlantic military alliance is considered an attack on all, a "sacred obligation".
Trump has called NATO "obsolete" and raised doubts about whether he would respect Article 5, stirring deep unease in Europe. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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