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Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, U.S. presidents of both major political parties have had their fair share of setbacks, failures, and outright disasters in foreign policy. But few, if any, have been quite as stark as Democrats' mishandling of the situation in Ukraine.

After decades of abuse at the hands of brutal Soviet regimes, Ukraine now stands on the brink of war with Russia, and for the time being, it seems no one is coming to its rescue.

RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES

Although the relationship and history between Russia and Ukraine are complex, the failure of Democratic presidents' leadership, as well as their contributions to the current crisis, couldnt be clearer.

Clinton's Nuclear-Sized Mistake

First, theres President Bill Clintons disastrous decision to support the nuclear disarmament of Ukraine, a choice supported by numerous congressional Democrats then and since.

At the time of the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine had the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Ukraine controlled some 5,000 nuclear weapons, including, as the New York Times noted in a report earlier this month, "long-range missiles that carried up to 10 thermonuclear warheads, each far stronger than the bomb that leveled Hiroshima."

In 1992, Ukraine signed the Lisbon Protocol, agreeing to return the nuclear weapons it had inherited from the Soviet government back to Russia. But members of the Ukrainian parliament soon thereafter increasingly voiced serious concerns over total nuclear disarmament, in large part due to fears of a future conflict with Russia.

Throughout 1992 and 1993, Russia and the Clinton White House worked furiously to convince Ukraine to give up all of its nuclear weapons. After substantial political pressure, Ukraine caved in 1994, but only after the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom agreed to protect Ukraine in the event of a future attack on the nations sovereignty, as well as financial support and a number of other assurances.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE CRISIS: NIKKI HALEY SAYS BIDEN 'FAILING' IN 'MAJOR LEADERSHIP MOMENT'

Ukraine dismantled and relinquished its nuclear weapons, giving President Clinton and the Russians a diplomatic victory. The decision has haunted Ukraine ever since.

Had Ukraine maintained at least part of its nuclear arsenal, it is highly unlikely Russia would be considering an invasion today.

Broken Promises

The most critical part of Ukraines 1994 agreement to disarm was the pledge by the United States, Russia, and United Kingdom to protect Ukraine against unwarranted aggression. The initial agreement, the so-called Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, was later reaffirmed in 2009 by President Barack Obama.

However, in 2014, Obama watched as Russian-backed rebels, with support from Russian troops, seized control of Crimea, a region belonging to Ukraine. The rebel-backed government then seceded from Ukraine and annexed it to Vladimir Putins government in Russia.

BIDEN'S FOREIGN POLICY DILEMMA IN UKRAINE PROMPTS MEDIA SCRUTINY REMINISCENT OF AFGHANISTAN

The Obama administration, working alongside officials from the European Union, responded by issuing sanctions and freezing Russian assets. They also imposed travel restrictions. Obama did not, though, keep the promise the United States made in 1994 and 2009 to protect the sovereignty of Ukraine.

Of course, Putin didnt flinch, and Crimea has been a part of Russia ever since.

The Big Green Power Vacuum

President Obama and his then-vice president, Joe Biden, were fierce opponents of the fossil-fuel industry for both of Obamas terms. They opposed the Keystone XL pipeline, forced states to adopt "renewable" energy like wind and solar, issued countless regulations that killed hundreds of coal-fired power plants, and restricted drilling and exploration of natural gas on public landspolicies the United States has once again adopted under President Biden.

In addition to having a negative impact on U.S. economic growth, these policies caused numerous nations to turn to Russia for low-cost energy.

Instead of importing fossil fuels from American companies, the European Union has become dependent on Russia, which is now the number-one source of natural gas in Europe, supplying about 41% of the regions supply. Russia is also the largest supplier of crude oil and coal.

Due to the Biden administrations failure in leadership, the United States has never looked weaker.

Because much of Europe now depends on Russian energy, it cant afford to stand up to Russias hostilities in Ukraine or anywhere else, for that matter.

The Trump administration attempted to convince European nations to depend on the United States vast natural gas production instead, but such appeals largely failed because European leaders knew Donald Trump wouldnt be president forever, and that a Democratic administration would swiftly attempt to scale back fossil-fuel development.

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Or, in the words of one energy expert wrote for the National Interest in 2019, "Why bet the proverbial farm on a U.S. [liquified natural gas] supply across the Atlantic if there remains significant doubt as to whether a Democratic successor to Trump particularly as 2020 candidates endorse the so-called Green New Deal with varying degrees of enthusiasm would continue with such plans?"

Afghanistan

Of course, no list of Democratic presidents policy failures would be complete without mentioning Bidens disastrous withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

As a recent report from Republicans on the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs accurately summarized, "The Biden Administration squandered precious time, ignored intelligence and recommendations from people on the ground, and refused bipartisan support to give them the resources to succeed. In the process, the botched withdrawal has tarnished Americas reputation and credibility."

And Ukraine is now paying the price.

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Due to the Biden administrations failure in leadership, the United States has never looked weaker. Putin knows this, of course, and he is using the opportunity to expand his legacy, along with Russias borders.

Republicans have undoubtedly made some foreign policy mistakes in recent decades. But when it comes to the chaos were seeing in Ukraine today, Democrats, especially presidents Clinton, Obama, and Biden, deserve the lions share of the blame. The people of Ukraine are suffering as a result of their failures.

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How Democratic presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden caused the crisis in Ukraine - Fox News

A slew of high profile personalities have reacted to Russians invasion of Ukraine.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their support for the Ukrainian people in a new statement posted to their Archewell Foundation website.

Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same, a statement posted to the Archewell website on Thursday read.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched strikes Wednesday against Ukraine, which has reportedly killed at least 40 people, theGrio reported. After the invasion began, Putin said he would demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, BBC reported. Russia threatened severe consequences if Western countries chose to intervene.

President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering, said President Joe Biden during Thursdays press conference at the White House. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way, Biden continued, adding, The world will hold Russia accountable.

Former President Barack Obama released a statement in which he noted that the consequences of Russias reckless actions will go far beyond Ukraines borders, The Hill reported.

For some time now, we have seen the forces of division and authoritarianism make headway around the world, mounting an assault on the ideals of democracy, rule of law, equality, individual liberty, freedom of expression and worship, and self-determination. Russias invasion of Ukraine shows where these dangerous trends can lead and why they cannot be left unchallenged, he said.

Obama called Russias Illegal attack a violation of international law and the basic principles of human decency.

People of conscience around the world need to loudly and clearly condemn Russias actions and offer support for the Ukrainian people. And every American, regardless of party, should support President Bidens efforts, in coordination with our closest allies, to impose hard-hitting sanctions on Russia sanctions that impose a real price on Russias autocratic elites, Obama wrote.

Meanwhile, leaders have warned of trade and export restrictions and heavy sanctions to come for Putins invasion of Ukraine, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever seen.

The U.S. is stepping up sanctions against Russian oligarchs and banks that hold Russian money, theGrio reported. Other sanctions include cutting off exports to the country. The sanctions go beyond a singular person and extend to the targeted person and their families.

Obama, however, has noted that there could be economic consequences to such sanctions, given Russias significant role in world energy markets, he said.

But thats a price would be willing to pay to take a stand on the side of freedom, Obama continued. For over the long term, we all face a choice, between a world in which might makes right and autocrats are free to impose their will through force, or a world in which free people everywhere have the power to determine their own future.

The unfolding Ukraine crisis has also prompted reactions from celebrities including acclaimed author Stephen King and Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B.

What most of us learned as kids on the playground: You dont stand by while a big kid beats up a little kid, wrote King on Twitter. You might take a punch or two making the big kid stop, but thats the right thing to do.

Cardi B tweeted: Wish these world leaders [would] stop tripping about power and really think about whos really getting affected (citizens) besides the whole world is in a crisis. War, sanctions, invasions should be the last thing these leaders should worry about.

This article contains additional reporting from theGrios White House Correspondent April Ryan.

TheGrio is now on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today!

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Barack Obama, Meghan Markle and more react to Russian invasion of Ukraine - TheGrio

Barack Obama Presidential Job Approval

Barack Obama's Daily Job Approval Trend

Barack Obama Job Approval Rating Summary

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Barack Obama Job Approval by Party Identification, 2015

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Barack Obama Job Approval by Party Identification, 2009

Report

Foreign Trade: Opportunity or Threat to the U.S. Economy?

Seventy-four percent of U.S. adults say trade represents "an opportunity for economic growth through increased U.S. exports."

Subscribe to the Gallup News brief and real time alerts.Stay up to date with our latest insights.

President Barack Obama's 49.5% job approval average during his 29th quarter in office is a nearly three-percentage-point improvement over the prior quarter, and is one of his better averages as president.

President Barack Obama averaged 50.9% job approval during his 30th quarter in office, up more than a point from his 29th quarter average, and one of just six times he has averaged higher than 50% approval in a quarter.

President Barack Obama averaged 52.0% job approval during his 31st quarter in office, tied for his fourth-highest quarterly average and the best of his second term.

Both the American public and President-elect Joe Biden favor government action on the nation's pressing infrastructure problems.

Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/116479/barack-obama-presidential-job-approval.aspx Gallup World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A +1 202.715.3030

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Presidential Approval Ratings -- Barack Obama | Gallup ...

Former 2012 Republican presidential nominee and Utah Sen Mitt Romney had a simple message as Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine: I was right and Democrats were wrong.

In 2012, Mr Romney, who was running against President Barack Obama, criticised his Democratic opponent for being caught on a hot mic telling then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev that after the 2012 election, he would have more flexibility to negotiate on missile defence.

This is to Russia, this is without question, our number one geopolitical foe, he told CNNs Wolf Blitzer at the time. They fight every cause for the worlds worst actors.

In the final general election debate between the two, Mr Obama mocked Mr Romney, whose most recent office at the time was being governor of Massachusetts.

And the 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back, he quipped. The Cold Wars been over for 20 years. But Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies of the 1950s and the social policies of the 1920s.

After losing the 2012 presidential race, Mr Romney emerged as the Republican Partys most prominent critic of Donald Trump in 2016. But after an unsuccessful courtship to potentially be Mr Trumps secretary of state, Mr Romney ran for Senate in his adopted home state of Utah and won in 2018.

On Wednesday evening, Mr Romney released a statement criticising Russias invasion of Ukraine. He aslo criticised the Obama administrations attempts to reset relations with Russia after Russias invasion of Georgia as well as Mr Trumps policy of America First.

Putins impunity predictably follows our tepid response to his previous horrors in Georgia and Crimea, our naive efforts at a one-sided reset and the short-sightedness of America First, he said before calling back to Mr Obamas line. The 80s called and we didnt answer.

Kevin Sheridan, who served as Paul Ryans communications director when Mr Ryan was Mr Romneys running mate, said the Obama campaign was not the only Democratic entity that criticised Mr Romney.

It was obvious 10 years ago Putin was a menace. Republicans will argue that China is a far bigger problem now but they are not unrelated, Mr Sheridan told The Independent in an email. Projecting weakness in the face of Russian aggression is only going to encourage China.

Similar, Mr Sheridan said then-Senator John Kerry said in his speech at the Democratic National Convention that year that Mr Romney got his foreign policy from Rocky IV, wherein fictional character Rocky Balboa fights a Russian boxer. Mr Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, would later become Mr Obamas Secretary of State and now serves as President Joe Bidens special envoy for Climate.

Two years later Russian forces took off their uniforms, invaded Crimea, and shot down a passenger jet killing 298 civilians, he said.

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Romney says he was right about Russia in 2012 and mocks Obama putdown: The 80s called and we didnt answer - The Independent

Some Black leaders see Obamas reluctance to name a Black Supreme Court justice as part of his larger concern about engaging in high-profile fights over issues of race and representation. Obama had felt burned by wading into policing issues in 2009 by criticizing the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates at his own home, a moment he later said damaged his standing with white voters.

It never made sense to me. It still doesnt make sense to me, said Transformative Justice Coalition President Barbara Arnwine. Phobia after the beer summit? Thats the only thing, but I dont think that made any sense either. ... There never was a good rationale.

Bidens role in Obamas Supreme Court choices remains murky, but its clear that some of his top aides were deeply involved, including his then-counsel Cynthia Hogan and Ron Klain, his chief of staff then and now.

Ron Klain and Cynthia Hogan a played a very important role in it, Greg Craig, Obamas first White House counsel, recalled of the administrations early work to vet nominees. Im sure the president talked to the vice president about individual nominees and the dynamic on the Hill.

If Biden mounted any push for a Black justice in 2009, 2010 or 2016, there is no public sign of it. Indeed, there is some indication that he did not view racial diversity as a key factor back then. One potential contender Biden has acknowledged trying to pull into the Supreme Court nomination process in 2010 was Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, but the Rhode Island Democrat a White male said he preferred to serve out his Senate term.

Now, Biden is set to take the step Obama never did, preparing within days or perhaps hours to put forward a history-making nomination of the first Black female justice. Doing so might also be viewed as making amends. Biden could soothe the hard feelings some activists still feel over painful snubs during the Obama years and even earlier, when Bidens stewardship of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas drew complaints of unfairness from backers of Anita Hill, the law professor who accused him of sexual harassment.

Then-Vice President Biden was a strong advocate for nominating Justice [Sonia] Sotomayor, and is proud of the role he played in confirming the courts first Hispanic member, said deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates. He is also proud of fighting for Justice [Elena] Kagan, who he had named as special counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee while he was its chairman. The President looks forward to announcing an extraordinarily qualified nominee, with the strongest record, credentials, intellect, and character anyone could have, and who will make history as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

There were few complaints from the Black community in 2009 when the newly elected Obama tapped Sotomayor to replace Justice David Souter. Sotomayor was the first woman of Hispanic descent named to the nations highest court.

Many people understood the choice of Sotomayor, Martin recalled.

However, when the next vacancy occurred with the retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens the following year, civil rights leaders pressed the White House to give serious consideration to naming a Black female justice.

In 2010, we said, Its our time now, and we expected Obama would, in fact, nominate a Black woman, said Arnwine, who served at the time as president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Ultimately, Obama tapped Kagan, a white woman who formerly served as solicitor general and as Harvard Law Schools dean, as Stevens replacement. The move left some Black leaders deeply disappointed and they made that clear to the White House. They were shocked by the Black blowback, said Martin. The reaction, the intensity of it from the African American community was different with Kagan.

Short lists publicly reported at the time said Obama considered a couple of Black women: Georgia Supreme Court Justice Leah Sears and 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Court Ann Williams. Both women declined to comment for this story, but Black activists said they never got the impression those candidates were seriously in the mix.

After Obama picked Kagan, the White House pressed civil rights groups to endorse her. Most did so after a few days of cajoling, but some leaders grew disenchanted that more was not done to advance Black representation on the court.

I found myself at considerable odds with the administration over it, Arnwine acknowledged. I was so upset that the administration was angry with me for not going along and that I did not think Elena Kagan should have gotten that slotand I still dont.

Martin said he also recalled being stopped in the White House driveway by a top Obama adviser a couple days after the Kagan selection and confronted about his public criticism of the choice. The adviser argued that it would make it difficult for Obama people in the future to appoint a Black Supreme Court justice, Martin recalled. I said, No, it doesnt.

The scene replayed itself in 2016, when Justice Antonin Scalia died unexpectedly early in the year. Some Black politicians and activists again pushed the White House to pick a Black woman for the high court slot. Obama reportedly interviewed one Black man, 9th Circuit Judge Paul Watford, but no Black women seemed to be in contention.

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) urged Obama at the time to nominate Howard University Law School Dean Danielle Holley-Walker, journalists Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes wrote in their book about Bidens unlikely 2020 victory, Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency.

However, Obama and his aides viewed the confirmation fight as uphill, even quixotic, due to early moves by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to refuse to hold a hearing, let alone a vote, on any Obama pick. Obama believed that resistance called for a nominee who had an unusual base of support across Washington, former aides and advisers said.

Because of the political climate, President Obama wanted to make sure he picked somebody who was beyond any possible criticism over whether or not he was ready to serve, said a former Obama White House official, who asked not to be named when discussing internal deliberations. That led Obama to pick the widely respected chief judge of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Merrick Garland, who is white. Garland never got a hearing or a vote and wound up leaving the appeals court bench last year to serve as Bidens first attorney general.

Certainly, some people would like to have seen a person of color as President Obamas last pick, the former Obama official acknowledged. Six years later, there are many Black women that President Biden had to choose from who are very qualified and its a different political environment.

The former Obama aide also agreed the president was concerned that anyone he picked who failed to get through the Senate would be considered damaged goods.

President Obama was hesitant to put anyone through this process in this particular toxic political environment [that might have] prevented them from being a candidate President Biden can choose today, the former official said.

However, leaders like Arnwine and some Black members of Congress felt the 2016 high court vacancy gave Obama a big opportunity to remind Black voters of the importance of the Supreme Court in the looming election.

They didnt want to put a Black woman through the humiliation of being denied the opportunity on the bench with Republicans acting so badly and in such bad faith, Arnwine said. I said, Thats why you need to do it. ... There was a tremendous difference of opinion and, again, that was the cause of some bitterness. ... We felt the administration made a huge error.

Martin said the political advantages of such a move were evident.

Youd be forcing these old, white men to completely ignore and dismiss a Black woman who was the most accomplished nominee in American history, he said. You put them on the defense. Its a sign of gross disrespect that would piss off Black women and you would have a galvanizing issue for eight months to impact the election.

Martin said that even if a Black woman nominee was snubbed by the Senate, there would have been considerable pressure on the Democratic presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton, to pledge to re-nominate that person.

The debate became an academic in November 2016, when Clinton lost the presidential race to Donald Trump. Of course, Trump also had three chances to nominate a Black justice and chose instead to pick two white men and a white woman, but civil rights leaders said they never saw any sign that Trump was interested in racial diversity on the Supreme Court or lower ones.

Some Obama White House officials said they doubted Biden had significant influence on Obamas Supreme Court choices in 2009 or 2010, because during that period the relationship between the two men was somewhat distant. However, Biden a former Senate Judiciary Committee chair was a key player in selling the nominees to his former colleagues.

Arnwine said she doesnt recall direct interaction with Biden about the Black communitys dissatisfaction with Obamas Supreme Court choices, but she finds it hard to believe no one brought that sentiment to the vice presidents attention.

I cant imagine there was a lack of awareness, she said. We were pretty aggressive in trying to pull the levers that we had. ... You would think that would have come up at some of their broader meetings.

Bidens 2020 pledge emerged from a commitment to the influential Clyburn as the congressman was considering whom to endorse in the days leading up to the South Carolina primary a make-or-break test for Biden. When Biden failed to offer the pledge during the first half of a pre-primary debate in Charleston, Clyburn hustled backstage during a break and turned up the heat, Allen and Parnes wrote.

Minutes later, in an awkward response to a question about his personal motto, Biden made his commitment.

Everyone should be represented, Biden declared. The fact is, what we should be doing we talked about the Supreme Court. Im looking forward to making sure theres a Black woman on the Supreme Court, to make sure we in fact get every representation. ... Not a joke.

Former Biden and Obama adviser Anita Dunn, who was serving as a top Biden campaign adviser at the time, said she doesnt recall the Sotomayor or Kagan nominations being discussed when Biden was considering making his pledge to pick a Black woman for the court.

It was much more in the context of the fact that it was time the Court reflected America more and that there were highly qualified nominees he could choose from, Dunn said.

In his speech announcing his nomination of Sotomayor, Obama made no explicit mention that she would become the first Latina on the high court. (There remains some dispute about whether she is the courts first Hispanic justice. Some say Justice Benjamin Cardozo, who served from 1932 to 1938, may have notched that accomplishment since his family claimed Portuguese roots.)

Some observers say the answer lies in part with Obamas personal distaste for getting into that type of charged political debate.

During a 2016 visit to the University of Chicago law school, Obama boasted about the diversity of his appointments to the federal bench but seemed to ridicule the idea of reserving a slot for someone with a particular background.

The way Ive thought about diversity is not to think about any single seat as, Oh, Ive got to fill this slot with this demographic, Obama said. At no point did I say, Oh, you know what, I need a Black lesbian from Skokie in that slot. Can you find me one? I mean, thats just not not how Ive approached it.

I appointed a Latino woman and another woman right before that, Obama told the law students as he defended his choice of Garland. So, yeah, hes a white guy, but hes a really outstanding jurist. Sorry.

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Why Obama didn't nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court before Biden - POLITICO