‘I Will Not Bow Down’ to Putin On Ukraine, Biden Tells Nation

U.S. President Joe Biden opened his annual State of the Union address Thursday night rallying for American support for Ukraine, and sending clear messages to Russia's Vladimir Putin: “We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down,” Biden said, to thunderous applause, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

Calling on Congress to pass legislation with financial aid to Kyiv, Biden hailed NATO’s strength, noting its two newest members: Finland, which joined in 2023, and Sweden, which officially joined earlier Thursday.

According to him, not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault as they are today. "What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack, both at home and overseas, at the very same time. Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond. "

He went on to add, "If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you, he will not. But Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself. That is all Ukraine is asking. They are not asking for American soldiers. In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine. And I am determined to keep it that way."

Biden also condemned former President and likely Republican nominee Donald Trump for not strongly repudiating Putin, calling his remarks dangerous and unacceptable. Addressing Republicans, he reminded that it wasn’t that long ago when a Republican President, Ronald Reagan, thundered, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall".. Now, my predecessor, a former Republican President [Trump], tells Putin, “Do whatever the hell you want."  It’s outrageous. It’s dangerous. It’s unacceptable."

He went on to emphasize, "If the United States walks away now, it will put Ukraine at risk. Europe at risk. The free world is at risk, emboldening others who wish to do us harm."
 
During his long speech to Congress, Biden declared that “the state of the Union is strong.” He also used part of his address to announce that he’s ordered the military to build a temporary port for Gaza. That would allow more aid to get into the enclave that currently has no infrastructure to harbor ships offloading assistance.

The U.S. won’t put boots on the ground, he said, noting America has “unique capabilities” that allow it to construct a port or causeway without having to send forces to Gaza’s shores.

The construction is a key part of the maritime corridor the U.S. is working to establish alongside other partners. This temporary pier "would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day," Biden said, adding "but Israel must also do its part... It must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire.

As the region looks to the future, Biden said, the only real solution is a two-state solution. "There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy. There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live with peace and dignity. There is no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia," he added.

Biden also mentioned that creating stability in the Middle East also means containing the threat posed by Iran. "That’s why I built a coalition of more than a dozen countries to defend international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," he said.