Essay

Biden’s Long Shadow Over Ukraine

His administration failed Ukraine at almost every turn, shaping the war to this day. December 5, 2025, 3:00 PM

Joe Biden, in silhouette, walks up stairs to board a plane, with ominous dark clouds in the background.

In late summer of 2022, Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive in the country’s south. On Nov. 11, that operation resulted in the liberation of the city of Kherson and all the previously Russian-occupied areas west of the Dnipro River.

Amid the euphoria of Ukraine’s return to Kherson, little attention was paid to the remarkable escape of Moscow’s trapped forces. Over the course of several weeks, an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Russian soldiers, including elite units that had been sent to fortify the front, and massive troves of milit

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