Nelson de Sá: Waiting for Scholz, Biden maintains ‘rhetorical escalation’ of war

After the White House spokeswoman promised that she would no longer say that the invasion of Ukraine is “imminent”, the national security adviser appeared Sunday on Fox News to say that the invasion could happen “any moment now”.

On the New York Times home page, “Biden administration officials said the invasion could kill up to 50,000 civilians and trigger a refugee crisis” in Europe.

As CNN admitted a week earlier, when even Ukraine began to resist the “US escalation rhetorical”, there are “clear signs” that the strategy is aimed in part at “forcing allies in Europe to take tougher positions” against Russia. .

One in particular, the German Olaf Scholz. He arrives in Washington this Monday under fire from the same NYT, which said in a report, without crediting anyone: “Patience is running out, and Scholz has to bring something to the table.”

The Wall Street Journal, in its highlight of the visit, focused on the other side, seeking to explain why it does not abandon the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Biden’s main demand:

“Advisors say Scholz’s caution is not motivated by gas concerns. They say the US effort to bring Ukraine into the Western sphere and supply weapons is increasing instability in Europe.”

AVOID WAR

The chancellor had already justified, to the German network ZDF: “Many citizens of this country fear that the situation could really arise, from a war in Europe, and it is common task to ensure that this does not happen”. In a new interview, now with the German network ARD (above), shortly before leaving for Washington, he argued again:

“It’s about avoiding war in Europe.”

The WSJ points out that “Germans, who have been skeptical for decades about the use — or threat — of military force to resolve crises, support Scholz’s cautious approach: a recent poll showed 73% agree with his refusal to arm Ukraine.” .

HOLD PRESSURE

The American financial newspaper hears from an economist close to Scholz, Philippa Sigl-Glöckner:

“The chancellor takes pressure, is patient and is not easily influenced.”

MISSILE CRISIS

In the South China Morning Post’s headline over the weekend, “China and Russia urge US to abandon plan to deploy missiles in Asia-Pacific and Europe”.

For the newspaper, more than the bilateral agreement on gas, this was the highlight of the summit between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin — and it aligns the countries with the announced US strategy of expanding “long-range missiles” in both regions.

‘BETRAYAL’

On Fox News, above, Tucker Carlson attacked 18-year-old California-born skier Eileen Gu, who competes for China at the Games, for “treason.”

In China, another Californian competing for Beijing, skier Zhu Yi, 19, was targeted by netizens on Sina Weibo after falling during her performance, with questions about her “patriotism”. But she was applauded at the end, in the gym, and defended on the social network by Hu Xijin, from the PC’s Global Times.