Biden slams Trump 'appeasement' to Putin and gives six-word verdict on stepping aside for Harris

 Joe Biden has slammed Donald Trump for putting pressure on Ukraine to give up territory to Russia, calling it a "modern-day appeasement" to Vladimir Putin.

Speaking in Delaware during his first interview since leaving the White House, the former president told the BBC that Putin believes Ukraine was a part of Russia and warned that "anybody that thinks he's going to stop" if some territory is conceded as part of a peace deal "is just foolish".

During the interview, which comes as allied nations mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day this week, Biden revealed that the potential death of NATO is a "grave concern".

The 82-year-old expressed fears that US-Europe relations could break down during the second Trump administration, which he said "would change the modern history of the world".

Addressing Trump's clash with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office meeting earlier this year, Biden continued his criticism of Trump. "I found it sort of beneath America the way that took place," he said.

The former president also referenced some of Trump's other threats that have put US relations with other countries at risk. He continued: "And the way we talk about now that that 'Well it's the gulf of America, maybe we're gonna have to take back Panama, maybe we need to acquire Greenland, maybe Canada should be'

"What the hell is going on here? What president ever talks like that? That's not who we are, we're about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation."

Biden also reflected on his decision to quit last year's presidential race. Amid growing concerns about his age and mental capability, Biden stepped down from the running in July with just a few months left until election day.

It left Kamala Harris with little time to build up a campaign to challenge Trump. "It was just a difficult decision," Biden said. When asked whether he now believes he should have stepped aside earlier, he said: "I don't think it would have mattered. We left at a time when we had a good candidate, she was fully funded."

Explaining why he initially chose to run again despite pledging to hand over to the next generation during the start of his presidency, Biden added: "I meant what I said when I started that I think I'm prepared to hand this to the next generation.

"But things moved to quickly that it made it difficult to walk away and it was a hard decision." He concluded: "I think it was the right decision...it was just a difficult decision."