In front of a large audience that gathered on Tuesday night (21) at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, defended freedom, democracy and reinforced his “unwavering” support for Ukraine . When speaking of the first major armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War, the democrat reiterated that important principles were threatened and ensured the unity of NATO.
Maria Paula Carvalho, from RFI
“A year ago, we were afraid of the fall of Kiev, which proved to be strong, great and above all free”, said Biden, adding that “Europe was put to the test” in the last year, as well “as all democracies”. In his words, the question was simple: “Are we going to respond or ignore what is happening? Will we be strong or weak?”, he summed up. “A year later, it is answered that we share the pains [da Ucrânia]and the world, united, did not ignore it,” Biden said.
For the American president, there is no way for the world to forget the brutality committed against the Ukrainian people and possible war crimes that are being investigated. , recalled the president. “Bombing schools, hospitals… nobody can forget that,” he lamented.
Biden cited the “unconditional attachment of Americans to the principle of the sovereignty of nations, to the right of the people to be free.” One year later [do início do conflito]“we defend democracy, sovereignty and the freedom of a people to be able to live without aggression”, reinforced the US president.
This is the US head of state’s second trip to Poland in just 11 months, a day after visiting Kiev for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He praised the honor and courage of the Ukrainian people, “a nation of strong men”. And he congratulated President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he said had reaffirmed his support. “A year after the invasion, Ukraine is still independent and free,” Biden stressed numerous times, insisting that the country’s blue and yellow flag continues to fly freely.
A “Rock Solid” Commitment
If Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hope was to divide the West, something has gone wrong, Biden said. Because “NATO has become more united”, said the president, who traveled to Poland to talk about “possibilities and what countries are capable of doing when they work together”.
363 days after the Russian invasion, the biggest defense provider for Ukraine also highlighted the firm intention of Western countries to defend their territories from expansionist attacks from Moscow. According to Biden, Putin should have no doubts about the NATO union. “NATO will not be divided and we are not tired,” he warned.
“Democracies will last today, tomorrow and forever. That’s what’s at stake, freedom “, hammered Biden in his speech. “Democracies around the world have gotten stronger, but autocrats have gotten weaker,” he continued. “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia”, he defended. “A dictator determined to rebuild an empire can never erode a people’s love of freedom. Brutality will never crush the will of those who want to remain free,” Biden insisted.
With that, the American president sends a strong signal to Moscow that Kiev’s allies remain more united than ever, and that an attack against the territory of a NATO member will be considered an attack on the alliance as a whole. “America’s commitment to NATO is rock solid, and every member of the alliance should know that,” he said. “Russia also knows that if it attacks one, it’s like attacking all,” he added, saying that the United States would defend every inch of territory.
Reply to Putin
Remembering that only four countries in the United Nations had sided with Russia in relation to the invasion of Ukraine, Biden invited Vladimir Putin to rethink his attack strategy. He also refuted accusations that the West was at the origin of the conflict.
Earlier, in an anti-Western speech before an audience of Russian deputies, senators and military, Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of starting the war, arguing that Russia wanted peace but the West had other plans.
“The West is not planning to attack Russia, as Putin said today,” and “the millions of Russian citizens who just want to live in peace with their neighbors are not the enemy,” Joe Biden responded.
“If Russia stops the invasion, there will be no war. If Ukraine stops, it’s the end of Ukraine”, summarized the president about what he thinks about the future of the conflict.
Coalition to help Ukraine
The United States is the symbol of a coalition of more than 50 countries that have helped Ukraine defend itself against Russia by sending weapons, humanitarian and financial aid.
“Look at each one of you and see what you did,” Biden told the Poles in attendance. Poland took in 1.5 million war refugees. “And this generosity is extraordinary”, congratulated the American.
Currently, the United States maintains about 10,000 troops on Polish soil, which serves as a transfer center for the supply of aid and weapons to Kiev.
In his speech, Biden also recalled that Putin tried to block the Black Sea to prevent Ukraine from exporting its cereals, and that this brought supply problems to Africa. And she said the Russians could expect new sanctions “this week”.
“What world do we want to build?”
“The defense of freedom is not done in a day, or in a year, it is always difficult and important”, concluded Biden. “The world is at a turning point”, concluded the US president, asking: “what world do we want to build? We can improve people’s lives, bring prosperity and respect. The decisions we make over the next five years will impact the world of the future,” he warned.
For Biden, the decision is between “build and destroy”, between “hope and fear”. He ended his speech by saying “there is no sweeter word than freedom”.
On Wednesday (22), the American president should meet in Warsaw with the heads of state and government of nine countries on the eastern side of NATO. The group called the “Bucharest Nine” includes Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.
In a note, earlier, the Kremlin stated that it is closely following Biden’s visits to Ukraine and Poland, without this affecting Russian policy.