The Ukraine crisis presents opportunity – and pitfalls – for Joe Biden

Can the White House navigate a bipartisan course or will unity in DC break down, asks John Bowden

President Joe Biden departs the White House on a visit to Texas on Tuesday (Getty)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is having far-reaching effects as Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike – watch the horror unfold on 24-hour TV.

In the past two weeks the brutal onslaught of Russia’s military has done what few political leaders in America, including president Joe Biden, could have hoped to do. It has pressed the pause button on bitter political divisions that have defined the nation’s capital for more than a decade.

After years of brinkmanship and brutal political fights over basic issues like funding the government, Washington looks prepared to pass without drama a massive omnibus spending bill this week – as well as roughly $14bn (£10.6bn) in aid to Ukraine and a ban on oil imports from Russia.

The conflict-free passage of a slew of significant pieces of legislation is rare in Washington these days. It represents a temporary shake-up of the political landscape that the Biden White House could use to its advantage ahead of November’s midterm elections.

In particular, Biden now has an advantage over his Republican foes that was not previously anywhere near as pronounced. A divide exists on among Republicans, as members of the GOP establishment like Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell forcefully condemn Putin’s invasion, while at the same time the far-right wing of the party appears to be moving towards a full-throated embrace of Russia and Putin’s aims. Fox News’ Tucker Carlson has faced a barrage of criticism for a number of statements on his widely popular show that have been seen as supportive of Russia, and former president Donald Trump recently praised Putin’s decisions as “genius”. That represents a clear messaging opportunity for Democrats.

But the situation in general also presents a challenge for the White House. Biden now must walk a tightrope of finding tangible ways to support Ukraine’s people and government – which wide majorities of his party and Americans in general support – while at the same time trying to avoid the dangerous prospect of entering into direct conflict with Russia.

The United States signalled its priorities – staying out of a potential third world war – strongly when it rejected an offer by Poland on Tuesday to transfer its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to an American base in Germany. For now, Biden is walking that tightrope adequately. But it remains to be seen what will happen as the invasion and US sanctions stretch on, and Russia becomes increasingly desperate.

Yours,

John Bowden

Washington DC correspondent