The recent investigation into US Vice President Joe Biden has once again steered the national spotlight to the Role of US politicians in foreign affairs. According to reports, in 2016, Biden sought to withhold a loan to Ukraine unless its chief prosecutor – then investigating Biden’s son – was removed. This has raised serious questions over the conduct of foreign leaders and the use of international aid.
In a 2016 meeting with Ukraine’s then-President Petro Poroshenko, Biden reportedly linked his country’s military aid to the ousting of its top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. The Vice President’s conditions were clear – that the government would fire Shokin or else the loan wouldn’t be approved.
The problem here lies in the fact that US money was being used in a way that appeared to be to personal gain. As it happened, Shokin had been investigating a Burisma, a Ukrainian company whose board of directors included Biden’s son, Hunter. Biden’s intervention appeared to be an attempt to stop the corruption investigations and protect his son.
This information has since been the focus of an investigation by a government watchdog. The probe concluded that it was likely that Biden had used his office to pressure the Ukrainian government into firing its prosecutor.
It’s a concerning example of the misuse of power, not only by Biden, but also by other US politicians. If citizens of a foreign nation are affected by decisions made by US foreign policy, the American people have the right to know about those decisions. This is why it’s essential for our leaders to adhere to a set of principles that ensure fair treatment of foreign countries.
Ultimately, Biden’s actions have been linked to a possible violation of the foreign policy of our country. Any decisions made in the interest of the US should be made with respect to the citizens and representatives of any other nation. With the spotlight now firmly on Biden, we can only hope that clearer standards of behavior are established to ensure that such a situation never arises again.
