President Biden's cancellation of his trips to Germany and Angola due to the hurricane is not just an excuse. The fact that some people in Ukraine are politicizing this in our context or with our emotions is purely their own issue and that of their audience.
Biden canceled the visits specifically because of the hurricane, as elections are approaching. This is akin to a black swan event that could sway the outcome of the voting in one direction or another. Biden and his team will do everything possible to steer it in their favor. In the U.S., it’s important to remember that the president is responsible not only for foreign policy but also serves as the head of the executive branch overall.
Our focus on Ukraine and Europe leads us to overlook the significance of the second visit to Angola. This visit is just as crucial for U.S. global policy as the first one because Africa holds importance for the U.S. both intrinsically and in the context of countering China. Biden was planning to visit Angola because bringing it into the "friends of democracy" camp would significantly strengthen U.S. positions in Southern Africa.
Angola holds strategic significance in the region, with vast oil reserves and debts to China. However, it is seeking to break free from Chinese influence. To achieve this, a grand logistics project for a railway from Zambia to the Angolan Atlantic coast involving the U.S. is planned, which serves as a counter to a similar Chinese project on the eastern coast (Zambia – Tanzania – Kenya). But this will have to wait, as the elections are far more critical.
If the Ramstein meeting or the visit to Angola is postponed by two days or even two weeks, it won't make a significant difference globally. The only source of rapid global changes could currently be the U.S. elections. Therefore, we shouldn't expect any drastic or historic decisions by election day.
However, if the Democrats lose the elections due to "insufficient attention to the problems of the United States" amidst the largest hurricane in 100 years, the options for quick historic decisions may change slightly. It is far from certain that these changes would be favorable for us.