Putin and Biden cement alliances in dueling appearances

On the surface, it looked like a throwback to the Cold War era. The reality was even more complicated.

WARSAW — In a day of dueling efforts to strengthen allegiances, President Biden wrapped up a three-day trip on Wednesday days in Europe with a promise of America's commitment to its allies when President Vladimir V. Putin warmly welcomed China's top diplomat to Moscow and rallied pro-war Russians.

As the anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine approaches, Biden met with leaders from NATO's eastern flank in Warsaw, acknowledging that "you know best anyone what is at stake in this conflict, not only for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and the world".

Around the same time, Mr Putin told a raucous crowd of tens of thousands at a stadium rally that "there has an ongoing battle over our historic borders, for our people,” just after trying to cement their most important partnership in a meeting with top Chinese diplomat, Wang Yi.

Taken together, the scenes gave the impression of the world collapsing into two blocks that bear similarities to those of the Cold War.

This time, many former Eastern bloc countries - Hungary is a notable exception - are aligning themselves with the West to oppose Mr Putin's aggression. And China and Russia, letting go of their many differences, conduct military exercises together and deepen financial ties as each faces Western sanctions.

But the reality is even more complicated.< /p>

Many other powers - including India, Turkey and Israel - remain on the fence, continuing to buy oil and gas from Russia or to work with Mr. Putin diplomatically, while buying weapons from the United States and remaining in its defense orbit. This sparked a messy, behind-the-scenes effort on both sides to gain support.

ImageLe rally in Moscow where President Vladimir V. Putin spoke on Wednesday.Credit...Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times

For Mr. Biden, the question is whether Western allies have the wherewithal to continue to arm and support the Ukrainian government to the levels necessary to hold off an emerging Russian offensive and deter Mr. Putin from once again seeking to take control of the entire country.

>< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">For Mr. Putin, the doubts may be even greater, even as he tries to telegraph public confidence and support.

An offensive he has started in recent weeks has yet to make any substantial gains. And as he welcomed Mr. Wang to the Kremlin and spoke of an upcoming visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, it is clear that China is wary of being seen as supporting war - and at a time when U.S. officials release intelligence suggesting Mr. Putin is once again seeking weapons and technology from Beijing.

"China is willing to work with Russia to maintain a strategy, deepen political mutual trust and strengthen strategic coordination,” Wang told Putin. He also said that the Sino-Russian partnership "is not aimed at any third party and will not accept interference from any third party, much less will it accept coercion from any third party".

This was a clear reference to the United States, which threatened that any material aid from China to Moscow's war effort would result in economic retaliation.

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