In a speech in Warsaw, US President Joe Biden sharply targeted Vladimir Putin. In retrospect, the White House has found it difficult to clarify the president’s statements.
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After first drawing the outline of European nations’ struggle for freedom from the Soviet Union, he went into the situation in Ukraine and its significance for the world.
– Ukraine is now at the front line in the struggle for democracy and freedom.
Biden then spoke down his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
– A dictator who wants to rebuild an empire will never wipe out people’s love for freedom. Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. You want a different future, a brighter future.
“For God’s sake, this man can not retain power,” he said, warning Putin to approach NATO territory.
Following the speech, a Kremlin spokesman commented on Biden’s statement, according to Reuters:
– It is not up to Biden to decide. Russia’s president is elected by Russians.
The White House has also stated that Biden did not ask for a change of regime in Russia.
– The president’s point was that Putin can not exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He did not refer to Putin’s power in Russia or regime change, the spokesman told Reuters.
– The audacity to use such a lie
In the speech, Biden also went back to what happened before Russian forces entered Ukraine.
– I talked to him several times before the invasion. He repeatedly said he had no interest in invading Ukraine. Repeatedly!
But Russia still invaded Ukraine at the end of February.
Among the reasons Putin has given for the invasion has been a lie that Ukraine is ruled by Nazis. Biden also dealt with this.
– President Zelenskyj is democratically elected in a free election. He is a Jew. His father’s family was killed during the Holocaust.
– And then Putin has the audacity to use such a lie! says the president.
At the same time as Biden gave Putin the slippery slope, he also extended a hand to the people of Russia:
– Let me say this, if you have the opportunity to hear: You, the Russian people are not our enemies. I refuse to believe that you support the killings of innocent children and grandparents or that you accept hospitals, schools and maternity wards being bombed.
Was in meetings with Polish and Ukrainian ministers
Biden also turned against the Ukrainian defense and foreign ministers.
– My message to the Ukrainian ministers who are here tonight is: We stand with you. Dot.
Earlier Saturday Biden was in meetings with the President of Poland as well as the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda earlier on Saturday, Biden emphasized the United States’ commitment to NATO Article 5 – which states that an attack on one NATO country is an attack on the entire alliance.
– We see Article 5 as a sacred obligation. Nothing to put away. A sacred obligation that applies to every member of NATO, Biden said.
VG’s reporter team in Ukraine is now in Kyiv. This is how the situation in the war-torn capital is described:
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