Biden condemns Putin's attack on Ukraine at State of the Union
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President Biden kicked off his first State of the Union address Tuesday evening by condemning the ongoing Russian military assault on Ukraine.
“Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But he badly miscalculated,” Biden said, urging those in the crowd to “rise if you are able and show that ‘Yes, we the United States of America stand with the Ukrainian people.’”
In response to Putin’s decision to attack Ukraine last week, the U.S., in conjunction with a coalition of international partners, including the 27 members of the European Union, has announced a variety of severe financial sanctions designed to hurt Russia’s economy and Putin himself, as well as many in his inner circle.
“Putin is now isolated from the world more than ever,” Biden declared to applause from Democrats and Republicans alike. He announced that the U.S. will join allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights.
Biden also highlighted the more than $1 billion in security assistance that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine over the last year, while reiterating his promise not to send American troops to fight in the country.
“Putin’s latest attack on Ukraine was premeditated and unprovoked,” Biden said. “He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. And he thought he could divide us at home. Putin was wrong. We were ready.”
While former President Donald Trump has praised Putin’s bloody bid to reclaim Ukraine as “savvy,” he is in the minority among prominent Republicans, many of whom have spoken out against the Russian leader. The bipartisan support for Ukraine was on display at Tuesday’s joint session of Congress, where many officials on both sides of the aisle wore blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Others wore Ukrainian flag patches on their lapels.
