Biden heads to Europe to send Putin message

After Crimea vote, US VP to meet with presidents of Poland, Baltic countries

US Vice President Joe Biden (AP/Markus Schreiber/File)
US Vice President Joe Biden (AP/Markus Schreiber/File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is heading to Europe to send a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin about his intervention in Ukraine.

Biden leaves Monday evening for Warsaw, where he’ll meet Tuesday with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Bronislaw Komorowski. He’ll meet separately with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

In Lithuania, Biden plans to meet with President Dalia Grybauskaite and Latvia’s President Andris Berzins.

The meetings with the NATO allies are part of a broader US campaign to persuade Putin to back off in Ukraine. As Biden was preparing to leave for Europe, Putin recognized Crimea’s independence and the US imposed the most comprehensive sanctions against Russian officials since the Cold War.

Latvia and Estonia share borders with Russia, and Poland and Lithuania are nearby.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.

Most Popular
read more:
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.