News Feed, Russia, Ukraine, Joe Biden, United States, US assistance to Ukraine

Biden: 'Failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten'

by Nate Ostiller and The Kyiv Independent news desk February 16, 2024 12:23 PM 2 min read

U.S. President Joe Biden gives a speech in the State Dining Room of the White House on Feb. 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

U.S. President Joe Biden criticized the ongoing impasse in Congress over aid for Ukraine on Feb. 16, the latest of a series of messages aimed at Republicans. Biden characterized their inaction on supporting Ukraine as directly playing into Russian President Vladimir Putin's hands and implied it was a mistake of historical proportions.

Biden's comments came as House Speaker Mike Johnson convened an early recess for Congress without bringing a $95 billion aid package, which includes $60 billion in funding for Ukraine, for a vote. The Senate passed the package on Feb. 13.

U.S. aid for Ukraine has stalled for months and has effectively run out. Domestic political infighting has been amplified by former President Donald Trump's victories in the first presidential primaries. Trump, who opposes further aid to Ukraine, has urged members of his party not to make any deals with Biden.

Johnson said that the Senate bill lacks the stricter border security measures requested by House Republicans and refuses to advance it in the lower chamber. In a memo obtained by The Hill, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates criticized Johnson for prematurely starting the recess, accusing him of causing harm to national security.

"Supporting our bipartisan national security bill is standing up to Putin. Opposing it is playing into his hands," Biden wrote on Feb. 15.

The previous day, he wrote, "For those Republicans in Congress who think they can oppose funding for Ukraine and not be held to account: History is watching."

The House is scheduled to reconvene in Washington on Feb. 28 following the President’s Day recess.

"The only advice I would give the Speaker publicly: Let the House vote on Ukraine. Just let them vote," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told The Hill on Feb. 15.

Authors: Nate Ostiller, The Kyiv Independent news desk

Comments

News Feed

5:55 PM

Czechs crowdfund money to purchase Black Hawk helicopter for Ukraine.

The volunteer initiative, called "A Gift for Putin," began crowdfunding money for the helicopter in November 2023, rallying more than 20,500 donors to contribute a total of 72.3 million Czech Koruna ($2.9 million).

5:37 PM

Putin congratulates winner of 'election' in occupied Abkhazia.

Abkhazia, an occupied region internationally recognized as part of Georgia, has been under de facto Russian control since the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

3:40 PM

(Updated: March 2, 2025 5:26 pm)

'Once in a generation moment' — Zelensky, Ukraine's partners gather for key London summit after White House fallout.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and other top Western officials arrived for a London summit to discuss support for Kyiv, the Guardian reported on March 2.

5:12 PM

Reported Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tanker, detained over damaged undersea cables, allowed to leave Finland.

In January, the Swedish Navy found an anchor at the site of the sabotaged cables in the Baltic Sea. Finnish authorities suspect the Eagle S intentionally dragged its anchor along dozens of kilometers of the Baltic seabed, according to AFP.

4:42 PM

Zelensky meets Italy's Meloni at London summit.

"I had a productive meeting with the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy (Giorgia Meloni) to develop a joint action plan for ending the war with a just and lasting peace," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

4:24 PM

Italy, UK can help mediate Zelensky-Trump dispute, Meloni says.

With Washington’s role seen as crucial to any lasting peace in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have also reportedly sought to work behind the scenes to ease tensions between the two leaders.

12:47 AM

(Updated: March 2, 2025 4:03 pm)

Starmer aims to bridge Trump-Zelensky rift as US expects apology, Bloomberg reports.

Amid the diplomatic fallout, the Trump administration has privately signaled that it expects a public apology from President Volodymyr Zelensky to mend relations, European officials told Bloomberg.

3:05 PM

Ukraine calls out IAEA staff for passing via occupied territories but pins blame on Russia.

The statement came hours after Russian occupation authorities claimed that a rotation of IAEA personnel had taken place through Russian-controlled territory.

2:48 PM

1 killed, 10 injured after Russian drone drops explosive on bus in Kherson.

A 53-year-old woman was killed in the attack, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. The attack took place in the afternoon in the city's western Dniprovskyi district.

1:58 PM

Russian, Chinese intelligence seek to recruit fired US federal employees, CNN reports.

Russia and China are attempting to recruit U.S. federal national security employees impacted by the Trump administration's layoffs, CNN reported on March 1, citing four sources and a document.

1:33 PM

Kremlin says perceived US foreign policy shift aligns with its 'vision.'

Trump, echoing Kremlin rhetoric on the war in Ukraine, said at the end of February the country should "forget" about joining NATO, which the country sees as a security guarantee against a future Russian invasion.

12:42 PM

Norwegian fuel supplier halts sales to US Navy over Trump-Zelensky dispute, citing 'moral compass.'

Norwegian fuel supplier Haltbakk Bunkers will not deliver a "single liter" of fuel to the U.S. Navy until U.S. President Donald Trump "is gone," the company's CEO told media outlet Kystens Noeringsliv on March 1 after Trump's highly public dispute with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

12:28 PM

UK, France, Ukraine to develop ceasefire plan to present to US.

The U.K., France, Ukraine, and possibly other countries will develop a ceasefire plan that will be presented to the U.S., U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview with the BBC on March 2.

11:55 AM

Macron, Starmer working to pacify Zelensky-Trump relations 'because what is at stake is too important.'

"The manifest destiny of the Americans is to be on the side of the Ukrainians, I have no doubt about it. What the United States has done over the past three years is entirely consistent with its diplomatic and military tradition," Macron said.

11:43 AM

Russia pushing disinformation to damage Ukraine's ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan, intel claims.

The intelligence agency referred to a fake document presented as a report from HUR to Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk, which has been disseminated in Armenian Telegram channels.

10:53 AM

Putin ally pushing for US, Russia restart of Nord Stream 2, FT reports.

Matthias Warnig, who led Nord Stream 2’s parent company on behalf of Kremlin-controlled gas giant Gazprom until 2023, is reportedly trying to establish contact with U.S. President Donald Trump's team through American businessmen.

10:40 AM

Elon Musk publicly supports call for US to exit NATO, UN.

Both NATO and the U.N. were founded by the U.S. and other victors of World War II to promote diplomacy and cooperation between nations as well as to prevent another global war.

10:28 AM

Hungary, Slovakia threaten EU unity on Russia, Ukraine ahead of key summit.

In a letter obtained by Reuters, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reportedly urged the EU to abandon plans for a joint declaration and resume direction communication with Moscow like Washington did.

10:01 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 2, injure 20 over past day.

Ukraine's air defense shot down 63 of the 79 drones Russia launched overnight, the Air Force said.

9:29 AM

Lithuania invests $21 million in Ukraine's arms industry, agrees to joint production.

Lithuania has already invested 20 million euros ($21 million) in purchasing weapons for Kyiv from Ukrainian producers and will produce arms in cooperation with Ukraine, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on March 1.

9:07 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 876,720 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,110 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:58 AM

Russian proxy claims IAEA team arrives at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant via occupied territory.

A new team from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine on March 1, marking the first time the agency's monitors reached the site through Russian-occupied territory.

6:45 AM

US halts cyber operations against Russia, media reports.

Cybersecurity experts warn that the move benefits one of America's most persistent cyber adversaries, potentially weakening U.S. leverage in both cyber and conventional military operations.

4:23 AM

‘Wrong approach, wrong time, wrong president’ — Waltz reacts to Trump-Zelensky standoff.

"(Zelensky) came in, even though he was warned not to, determined to litigate all of that … This was the wrong approach, wrong time in history, and definitely the wrong president to try to do this," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said on March 1.

3:18 AM

Canada's Trudeau heads to European defense summit in London.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departed for London on March 1 to take part in a European defense summit focused on shaping the conditions for a lasting peace in Ukraine.

MORE NEWS

Kakhovka dam explosion: Russia left people to die

Biden: 'Failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten'

Most popular

Over 10,000 applications to join military submitted by young recruits following introduction of 'special contracts,' Defense Ministry says

Russia offering US deal on natural resources, access to Arctic

Ukraine, US reach agreement on minerals deal

'You can't kill your way out of this war' — Kellogg calls for sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet, concessions from Ukraine to end war

US threatens to shut off Starlink if Ukraine won't sign minerals deal, sources tell Reuters