Joe Biden and Ukrainian leaders started the Russian invasion of Ukraine due to NATO expansion.

Question

You need to read more. Especially the posts you respond to. Ukraine joining NATO means Moscow Military District becoming the first line of Russisn defense and any missiles launched from Ukraine are indefensible. The war was started by Biden and the Ukrainian elite. Not difficult to get, really.

Answer 1

The claim that Ukrainian leaders started the Russian invasion because of expansion is false. After looking into multiple credible sources and tracing where this idea comes from, there is no actual evidence that Ukraine caused the invasion. Instead, everything points to Russia initiating the war in 2022, along with a pattern of aggression that started years earlier. The claim takes real political tensions and twists them into something misleading.

One primary source I found was statements from Vladimir Putin, where he announced a “special military operation” on February 24, 2022. This is important because it shows that Russia made the decision to invade Ukraine.
Link: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-announces-military-operation-ukraine-2022-02-24/

Another primary source is information from the United Nations, which describes the invasion as a violation of international law and confirms that Russia carried it out. This helps establish who was actually responsible for starting the conflict.
Link: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/ukraine

For secondary sources, I looked at a fact check from PolitiFact, which explains that claims saying Ukraine started the war are false and not supported by evidence. It clearly states that Russia launched the invasion and that the claim is a form of misinformation.
Link: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/feb/19/donald-trump/did-ukraine-start-its-war-with-russia-as-president/

I also used reporting from BBC News, which gives a timeline of events and shows that Russia invaded Ukraine, not the other way around. This source adds context and confirms what happened leading up to the war.
Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589

Looking at bias, the original claim seems influenced by political messaging or propaganda, especially since similar narratives have been used to justify Russia’s actions. The United Nations focuses on international law and peace, so it frames the invasion in that context, but it is still considered a credible source. PolitiFact is focused on fact-checking political claims, so it may come across as critical, but its goal is to verify accuracy. BBC News is a major global news organization that aims to be reliable, though like all media, it can still reflect certain perspectives.

There is very little credible evidence that actually supports the claim. Some people argue that NATO expansion or political tensions played a role in the conflict, but that is not the same as Ukraine starting the invasion. Those arguments are more about explaining background context rather than proving who initiated the war.

On the other hand, there is strong evidence that undermines the claim. Russia officially announced and carried out the invasion in 2022, and earlier actions like the annexation of Crimea in 2014 show a pattern of aggression from Russia toward Ukraine. Multiple credible sources consistently confirm that Ukraine did not start the war.

Answer 2

The biggest problem with this claim is that it flips who actually started the fighting. While the claim says Biden and Ukraine started it, historical records show that Russia launched the full-scale attack on February 24, 2022. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Russia is the aggressor because they crossed into another country's border, while Biden and Ukraine were just reacting to Russia moving troops to the area.

Another issue is saying NATO expansion was the only cause. While Putin uses NATO as an excuse, Ukraine wasn't even close to joining NATO in 2022. Experts from CSIS argue the war is actually about Putin wanting to take back land and control Ukraine. His own speeches show he believes Ukraine belongs to Russia, which makes the invasion more about power than just a disagreement over a treaty.

Finally, the timing is off because the war didn't actually start with Biden. It started back in 2014 when Russia took over Crimea. Linking it only to Biden's recent choices ignores the fact that this has been going on for over ten years. These sources show it’s more accurate to say Russia used NATO as an excuse to carry out a plan they had for a long time.

Council on Foreign Relations: Conflict in Ukraine

CSIS: The War in Ukraine

Answer 3

This is a very bold claim to make, and is not very true at all. There were way more complexities to this war, and tensions and conflicts had be stewing in the region for years and years before Russia's invasion in 2022. One of the first attacks that Russia enacted upon Ukraine was in 2014--long before Biden was ever president. Russia annexed Crimea, which started an armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin has wanted some, if not all of Ukraine to be reabsorbed into Russia for a long time. Although I can see how both President Biden's and NATO's action leading up to the 2022 invasion could be interpreted as directly causing this action, that is simply not what happened. Russia had been building up hostility towards not only Ukraine but also the West as a whole. They saw even just the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO as a direct threat to their existence as a nation because it meant that the West would be closer then they wanted. Ukraine hadn't even begun the process of joining NATO, it was merely something they were interested in as a nation to be protected from Russian invasion. So, United States President Joe Biden and NATO were not directly responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. There is way more nuance and history to be added in order to fully understand this complicated situation. I tried to find the most un-biased sources I could but I do believe that some of what these articles are documenting is on the side of being pro-Ukraine in this war, but a lot of Western media coverage on this war is very biased towards Ukraine. 

War in Ukraine

How Russia and Ukraine's Tangled Histories Led to War

Answer 4

This claim often appears on social media and opinion-based websites rather than credible news organizations. It tends to reflect political viewpoints rather than verified evidence. There is no clear, credible source showing that Biden or Ukrainian leaders “started” the invasion,

Reliable reporting from sources like BBC and Council on Foreign Relations shows that the invasion began when Vladimir Putin ordered Russian military forces into Ukraine in February 2022.

Official statements and records show that Russia justified the invasion partly by citing concerns about NATO expansion. However, Ukraine was not a NATO member at the time, and there is no evidence that NATO or Ukraine initiated military action against Russia. The decision to invade was made by the Russian government.

Experts in international relations widely agree that while NATO expansion is one factor in tensions, it does not mean the U.S. or Ukraine started the war. The invasion itself was a direct military action carried out by Russia.

The claim is misleading. The invasion of Ukraine was initiated by Russia under Vladimir Putin. While NATO expansion is part of the broader political context, there is no credible evidence that Joe Biden or Ukrainian leaders started the war.

Answer 5

The claim that Joe Biden and Ukrainian leaders started the war because of NATO expansion isn’t supported by evidence. The conflict escalated when Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Russia has argued that NATO expansion threatened its security, Ukraine was not a NATO member and was not close to joining at the time. Most historians and political analysts agree that the invasion was driven more by Russia’s desire to expand its influence and maintain control over Ukraine than by any immediate NATO action. There is also no credible evidence showing that U.S. or Ukrainian leaders provoked or initiated the war. Overall, blaming the U.S. or Ukraine oversimplifies a much more complex situation. 

https://www.cfr.org/

Answer 6

The claim that Joe Biden and Ukrainian leaders started the Russian invasion due to NATO expansion is false and misinterprets the timeline of the conflict. While Vladimir Putin has frequently cited NATO’s eastward growth as a security threat to justify his actions, the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, was a unilateral military action initiated by Russia, which follows a pattern of aggression beginning with the annexation of Crimea in 2014—years before Biden took office. At the time of the 2022 invasion, Ukraine was not a NATO member and had no immediate path to joining, as many member nations remained hesitant to grant them entry. Historical and political experts suggest the war is more deeply rooted in Putin’s imperialist goal to reassert control over Ukrainian territory rather than a defensive reaction to any physical provocation by the U.S. or Ukraine.

Comments

Don't forget to mention your sources and include source links. Thanks!

Answer 7

This claim is a huge claim to make especially when you dont have all the facts.

Think of this as your investigation log. Answer each question to explain what you discovered and how you got there. The article that I found talks about the real reason why the war of Russia started and who was actually responsible for the start of it. Even though their were a lot of claims saying that the United States and NATO are the ones that started the war, but in reality it was the president of Russia, Putin, who is the one that started the war. The NATO expansion wasn't forced or agressive, but countries made the choice to join NATO. Russias real motive was to restore power to Russia and influence other countries. Another article I found also stated the same things/ findings about this claim. I cant seem to find any potential biases that the articles could have. I did not get a response back when I emailed the article and couldn't find any further findings.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/the-real-reason-russia-invaded-ukraine-hint-its-not-nato-expansion/

https://www.newsweek.com/no-biden-didnt-force-russia-invade-ukraine-opinion-1858148

Answer 8

Before Russia's invasion in 2022, tensions and conflicts had been simmering in the area for years, making the battle even more complicated. Long before Biden became president, in 2014, Russia launched one of its first attacks against Ukraine. A violent war broke out in eastern Ukraine after Russia took Crimea. Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, has long advocated for the reabsorption of some, if not all, of Ukraine into Russia. I can understand how President Biden's and NATO's actions prior to the 2022 invasion could be seen as directly contributing to this action, but that is just not the case. Russia had been escalating its animosity toward the West in general as well as toward Ukraine. Because it meant that the West would be closer than they desired, they considered even the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO as a direct threat to their national existence. Ukraine simply wanted to be safeguarded against Russian invasion, but it hadn't even started the process of joining NATO. Therefore, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 was not directly caused by NATO or US President Joe Biden. To really comprehend this complex scenario, much more subtlety and history must be taken into account. Russia had been escalating its animosity toward the West in general as well as toward Ukraine. Because it meant that the West would be closer than they desired, they considered even the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO as a direct threat to their national existence. Ukraine simply wanted to be safeguarded against Russian invasion, but it hadn't even started the process of joining NATO. Therefore, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 was not directly caused by NATO or US President Joe Biden. To really comprehend this complex scenario, much more subtlety and history must be taken into account.

Answer 9

I’ve mostly seen this claim on social media and opinion-based sites, not from major news organizations. A lot of those posts don’t include real evidence and tend to push a political viewpoint. I couldn’t find any credible source that directly says Biden caused either of these wars. Looking at more reliable sources like BBC and Reuters, they explain that the Russia Ukraine war started when Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022. For the Israel Hamas conflict, reports show it escalated after Hamas carried out attacks on Israel in October 2023, which led to Israel responding militarily. Both situations involve long-standing conflicts and decisions made by those directly involved.When you look at official statements and records, Russia itself announced the invasion of Ukraine. Hamas also publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks in Israel. I couldn’t find any primary source that connects Biden to starting either conflict. Some people argue that U.S. foreign policy plays a role in global tensions, which is fair to discuss. But that’s different from saying one person directly caused two separate wars. Both conflicts have been building for years, with a lot of historical and political factors behind them.There’s no solid evidence that Joe Biden is responsible for starting either war. The invasions and attacks were carried out by the countries and groups involved, and the situations are much more complicated than the claim suggests.