Biden's Backchannel to Russia: Unveiling the Wagner Coup Attempt

As a coup attempt unfolded in Russia led by the Wagner Group's Yevgeny Prigozhin, President Joe Biden and his administration decided to establish a backchannel communication with the Kremlin, emphasizing that the U.S. viewed the situation as an internal Russian matter and would not make any changes to troop positions. The goal was to ensure that Russia did not perceive American involvement in the coup attempt. While the U.S. is still trying to understand the events and Putin's response, analysts speculate on the cracks within the Kremlin and military hierarchy and whether Putin's deal with Prigozhin was motivated by a desire to avoid widespread violence. The fragility of Putin's regime has some U.S. officials considering the possibility of a post-Putin Russia and the implications for global stability. The NATO summit in two weeks will take on new urgency, with discussions on Ukraine's potential accession and preparations for a destabilized situation in Russia.