Did Biden just commit impeachable offense in Ukraine?

Remember when House Democrats impeached President Donald Trump for twisting the arm of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, allegedly conditioning a White House visit on his willingness to investigate Hunter Biden? Well, guess what: Axios reports that the Biden administration may have twisted Zelensky’s arm to accept a deal President Joe Biden cut with Germany to allow work on its Nord Stream 2 pipeline with Russia — and conditioned a White House visit by Zelensky on acceptance of the deal.

“While members of the Biden administration were finalizing their deal with Germany, they were working with the Ukrainians to set a date for Zelensky’s White House visit, which the Ukrainian president had initially stated would be this month,” Axios reports. “The Ukrainians felt the administration was effectively linking the White House visit to Ukraine’s position on the Nord Stream deal and pressuring them not to speak out.” Did Biden really just condition a visit to the White House upon Zelensky’s agreeing to acquiesce to Russian energy dominance over Ukraine? Time to appoint the impeachment managers!

Unlike Trump, Biden is pressuring Zelensky to accept a deal that represents an existential threat to his country. Right now, Russian gas exports to Western Europe go through pipelines that cross through Ukraine — which means Russia cannot cut off gas to Ukraine without cutting off its lucrative exports to the West. But once the Nord Stream 2 is built, Russia will be able to bypass Ukraine and send gas directly to Germany. When that happens, Russia will be able to shut off energy supplies to Ukraine without cutting off Western Europe.

Trump had succeeded in stopping construction on the pipeline. In 2019, he signed legislation to sanction businesses involved in the project. A number of companies pulled out as a result. And Trump made clear that he was ready to punish not just Russian companies but German and other European suppliers as well.

As soon as Biden took office, construction on the pipeline resumed. In May, the State Department waived sanctions against the Vladimir Putin crony in charge of overseeing construction. And in June, Biden decided to stop trying to block the pipeline, deciding it was not worth the costs to our relationship with Germany.

No sooner had Biden greenlit the pipeline than Putin began warning that Ukraine must show its good will if it wants Russian gas exports to continue.

This is far more serious than Trump’s ham-handed efforts to get Zelensky to investigate Hunter Biden. Trump’s call with Zelensky was not “perfect” as he claimed. But he made no promises or threats, as was initially and falsely reported, and Zelensky said Trump did not pressure him. Trump’s conduct, while inappropriate, did not to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Trump sent lethal aid to Ukraine that the Obama-Biden administration refused to provide. Back then, Biden accused Trump of withholding aid to pressure a partner that is under direct assault from Russia. Well, no sooner was Biden in the Oval Office than he put a hold on $100 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Trump was incredibly tough on Russia in deed, if not in word. By contrast, Biden has called Putin a killer but has suspended that military aid, approved an extension of the New START deal and acquiesced to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. And he may have inappropriately pressured Ukraine’s president to silence his criticism of the deal.

Do Biden’s actions constitute an impeachable offense? Of course not. Being soft on Russia is not a high crime or misdemeanor. But asking Ukraine’s president to sign off on a deal that will allow Putin to strangle his country remains shameful.