The speech in Arkady Kubicki was the culmination of Joe Biden’s two-day visit to Poland. “When Russia invaded, it was a test for Ukraine,” he stressed. As he assessed, “the whole world has been put to the test, America has been put to the test, NATO, all democracies.” At the same time, he emphasized that in the face of war, NATO became “more united and stronger than ever before”. He also assured that support for Ukraine “will not be shaken”. “NATO will not be divided, we will not be tired,” he said. Here are the highlights of this speech.
About the invasion of Russia and defending Ukraine
– Hello, Poland, our great ally – he began. – I was here a year ago, here at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. It was a few weeks after (Vladimir Putin began his murderous aggression on Ukrainethe largest land war in Europe since World War II, he said.
– Principles that had been the cornerstone of peace for 75 years were in danger of collapsing. A year ago, the world was faced with the possibility of the fall of Kiev, he continued. Meanwhile, he said, after returning from there, he can assure that “Kiev is holding on, holding its head high, and above all, it is free.”
About the “test” for the whole world
President USA estimated that “when Russia invaded, it was a test for Ukraine.” – The whole world was tested, America was tested, NATO, all democracies. The threat was simple and very great. Will we be strong or will we stand together as allies? A year later we know the answer We replied: we are strong, we are united and the world will not look away from Ukraine, he said.
He also pointed out that “we are faced with a fundamental question, with commitments to defend our greatest values.” – Will we defend the sovereignty of nations, freedom against aggression, or will we stand up for democracy? A year ago we already knew the answer: yes, we will defend sovereignty, we will defend it and we will defend it against aggression, and we will defend democracy.
He recalled his Monday visit to Kiev and his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky. “I said: we will stick together and we will fight for these values, no matter what,” he said.
About Putin
Biden also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “thought he would make energy carriers a weapon, but he didn’t.” He added that the world is working to make Europe independent of energy supplies from Russia.
“He thought the leaders of the democracies would be weak, but they turned out not to be,” Biden continued. In his opinion, “President Putin faced something he did not expect – that democracies around the world will strengthen, not weaken.”
He added that “when Putin ordered his tanks to invade Ukraine, he thought they would come very quickly.” – He was wrong, the Ukrainian nation is too strong, the nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific are united, the democracies are strong. And Putin thought otherwise, but his burnt-out tanks and disarrayed troops are back. Instead of the Finlandization of NATO, it saw the NATOization of Finland and Sweden. He thought NATO would fall apart and split, but it is more united and stronger than ever before,” Biden said.
About the fate of the war
– Today we see once again what people in Poland and people all over Europe saw decades ago. The autocrat’s appetites cannot be satisfied, they must be resisted. The autocrat understands only one word: no. You won’t take my country, you won’t take my freedom, you won’t take my future,” Biden continued.
He referred to the words spoken in Warsaw a year ago. “A dictator who wants to rebuild an empire will never be able to erase the people’s love for freedom,” he said. Brutality will never change the will to be free. Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, never,” he added.
On support for Ukraine
Joe Biden A year after the war, Putin no longer doubts the strength of our coalition, but he still doubts our beliefs, our clout, our continued support for Ukraine, the unity of Ukraine. – There should be no doubts, our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided, we will not be tired. The hideous lust of President (Russia, Vladimir) Putin, lust for land, for power – will fail. And the love of Ukrainians for their country will prevail. The world’s democracies will stand guard over freedom today, tomorrow and forever. Because that’s what it’s all about: freedom. This is the message I brought to Kiev yesterday, directly to the people of Ukraine.
Main photo source: PAP/Piotr Nowak