Biden: 'Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia'
U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a speech in Warsaw on Feb. 21 ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, reiterating Washington's support for Kyiv.
"One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv. Well, I've just come from a visit to Kyiv, and I can report Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall and most important, it stands free," Biden said to 30,000 people gathered in front of the Royal Castle, as quoted by CNN.
Biden came to Warsaw to meet Polish President Andrzej Duda and other Eastern European nations a day after his surprise visit to Kyiv.
U.S. President emphasized that the West would not "get tired" of supporting Ukraine as NATO "is stronger than it's ever been."
"When Russia invaded, it was not just Ukraine being tested. The whole world faced a test for the ages," he said. "Europe was being tested. America was being tested. NATO was being tested."
"And the questions we faced were as simple as they were profound: Would we respond, or would we look the other way? Would we be strong, or would we be weak? Would we, all of our allies, be united or divided? One year later, we know the answer. We did respond, we would be strong, we would be united, and the world would not look the other way."
According to Biden, the U.S., and its Western allies are set to announce new sanctions against Russia this week to "bring to justice those responsible for this war."
U.S. President also reiterated the need to oppose Russia's aggression as "it is impossible to satisfy the aggressor's appetites."
"Autocrats only understand one word: No. No, no. No, you will not take my country. No, you will not take my freedom. No, you will not take my future," Biden said.
Biden said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made a mistake, getting into a war with "a man whose courage" is "forged with fire and steel," as he called President Volodymyr Zelensky.
His speech comes hours after Putin announced Russia's suspension of participation in a nuclear treaty with the U.S. in a speech to the Federal Assembly and members of the Russian political elite.
The U.S. Defense Department announced the allocation of another military assistance package to Ukraine worth $460 million on Feb. 20.
