Biden in Moscow

US Vice President Joe Biden just wrapped up a two-day trip to Moscow, during which he met President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, as well as opposition activists. Yesterday he gave a speech at MGU, Russia’s oldest and best university. It would be more accurate to call it a lecture, because despite the Obama administration’s pronouncements that it doesn’t seek to “teach” Russia anything, it certainly sounded like it did. Don’t expect huge investment, he said, until you provide investors predictability. You need a free press, you need a fair legal system.

He tried to provide examples, but, in good ol’ Biden-esque fashion, stumbled. “Over the past few months our administration has spoken out against allegations of misconduct in the trial of… of, uh… the, um… excuse me… Khodor… Kovinsky," said Biden, attempting to spit out the name of jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Clearly, it’s a case the administration cares deeply about …

Throughout his speech, Biden appealed to the perceived liberal elements in Russian society, praising Medvedev three times while failing to mention Putin once. “I urge all you students here: Don’t compromise on the basic elements of democracy,” he told the crowd. “You need not make that Faustian bargain.”