Biden hits Putin’s Russia in final address as VP

AFP, DAVOS, Switzerland: Russia is the main threat to the “liberal” world order, US Vice President Joe Biden told the Davos elite on Wednesday, in his final speech before leaving office.
Biden used the big stage of the World Economic Forum in the posh Swiss resort to warn of threats posed by the Kremlin two days before Donald Trump’s administration takes over in Washington.
Though he also mentioned China and threats from the Middle East, his attack on Vladimir Putin’s Russia was a direct warning to Trump, who is accused of cosying up to the Russian president. 
“The greatest threat ... springs from the external actors who equate their success on fracturing the liberal international order,” Biden said. “I’m not going to mince words, this movement is principally led by Russia,” added the 74-year-old, who used the Davos forum to promote his signature campaign against cancer.
Biden laid down his assessment a day after China’s President Xi Jinping gave a landmark speech at Davos that stressed his commitment to globalisation, in contradiction to Trump’s protectionist approach. 
Biden, known for his everyman touch, is increasingly seen as a standard-bearer for the Democrats against Trump, who won the US presidency on a wave of middle-class and white voter discontent.
Putin is “working with every tool available to them to whittle away at the edges of the European project,” Biden told the Davos audience, who gave him a standing ovation as he came on stage. Putin is “testing the faultlines among Western nations” and working to return the world to a system “defined by spheres of influence”.
“We even saw it in the cyber intrusions against political parties and individuals in the United States,” he said, after a US intelligence report that Russia worked to tip the election in Trump’s favour.

Biden hits Putins Russia in final address as VP

AFP, DAVOS, Switzerland: Russia is the main threat to the liberal world order, US Vice President Joe Biden told the Davos elite on Wednesday, in his final speech before leaving office. Biden used the big stage of the World Economic Forum in the posh Swiss resort to warn of threats posed by the Kremlin two days before Donald Trumps administration takes over in Washington. Though he also mentioned China and threats from the Middle East, his attack on Vladimir Putins Russia was a direct warning to Trump, who is accused of cosying up to the Russian president. The greatest threat ... springs from the external actors who equate their success on fracturing the liberal international order, Biden said. Im not going to mince words, this movement is principally led by Russia, added the 74-year-old, who used the Davos forum to promote his signature campaign against cancer. Biden laid down his assessment a day after Chinas President Xi Jinping gave a landmark speech at Davos that stressed his commitment to globalisation, in contradiction to Trumps protectionist approach. Biden, known for his everyman touch, is increasingly seen as a standard-bearer for the Democrats against Trump, who won the US presidency on a wave of middle-class and white voter discontent. Putin is working with every tool available to them to whittle away at the edges of the European project, Biden told the Davos audience, who gave him a standing ovation as he came on stage. Putin is testing the faultlines among Western nations and working to return the world to a system defined by spheres of influence. We even saw it in the cyber intrusions against political parties and individuals in the United States, he said, after a US intelligence report that Russia worked to tip the election in Trumps favour.