(New York) While Russia continued to bomb Ukraine’s biggest cities, Joe Biden promised on Tuesday evening to make Vladimir Putin pay for his neighbor’s invasion, praising the “pure courage” of the President Volodymyr Zelensky and his fellow citizens.
Updated at 0:08
“Six days ago, Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world,” said the American president, addressing the Ukraine question from the outset during his first State of the Union address.
“But he miscalculated. He thought he could get into Ukraine and the world would crash. Instead, he encountered a wall of force he had never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people. »
“From President Zelensky to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their courage, their determination inspire the world. Groups of citizens blocking the tanks with their bodies. Everyone, from students to retirees to teachers, have turned into soldiers defending their homeland,” he added, also hailing the unity of the international community in the face of Russian aggression.
Joe Biden has announced a new measure against Russia: the closure of the airspace of the United States in the country of Vladimir Putin. Canada and the European Union had already adopted such a measure.
The US president also indicated that the United States would work to seize the yachts and apartments of Russian oligarchs.
“We come for your ill-gotten gains,” he said.
Ukraine
The first third of Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech, devoted to the Ukrainian crisis, was interrupted by numerous applause from elected officials of both parties, a rare occurrence in this time of deep political divisions.
Democrats and Republicans notably stood up to applaud the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, who was one of the guests of the first lady, Jill Biden.
PHOTO J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova and First Lady Jill Biden
Joe Biden for his part received a standing ovation, declaring that “Putin is now more isolated from the world than he has ever been”.
When the history of this era is written, Putin’s war on Ukraine will have left Russia weaker and the rest of the world stronger.
President Joe Biden
But he hinted that the near future could be difficult for Ukrainians.
“The Ukrainians are defending themselves with pure courage, but the next days, weeks and months will be difficult for them. Putin unleashed violence and chaos. If he can make gains on the battlefield, he will pay a high and continued price over the long term,” he said.
Joe Biden stumbled over certain passages of his speech and made a mistake by saying that Vladimir Putin “can never win the hearts and souls of the Iranian people”.
The balance sheet
Normally, the State of the Union Address provides the President with a unique opportunity to defend his record of the past year and present his plans for the coming year in front of a large audience.
Tuesday’s came at a delicate time for Joe Biden, and not just because of the war in Ukraine. According to a survey washington post/ABC News published last weekend, only 37% of them are satisfied with his performance in the White House or his handling of the economy.
This data may seem surprising, given the strong growth, low unemployment rate and the coronavirus pandemic which seems to be giving Americans a break. But they reflect a climate that could help the Republicans wrest control of both houses of Congress from the Democrats.
Joe Biden therefore wanted to take advantage of this first speech on the State of the Union to enhance his popularity with Americans. He notably praised his $1.9 trillion economic recovery plan enacted at the start of his presidency.
“And unlike the $2 trillion tax cut passed by the previous administration, which benefited the richest 1% of Americans, the US bailout helped workers and left no one behind. side, ”he said, which earned him some boos from the Republican benches.
“And it worked,” he insisted. It created jobs. Lots of jobs. In fact, our economy created more than 6.5 million new jobs last year, more jobs created in one year than ever before in America’s history. »
Inflation
Joe Biden, however, did not ignore one of the main causes of Americans’ dissatisfaction and pessimism, namely inflation, which robs families “of the gains they might otherwise feel”, he said. recognized.
One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America.
President Joe Biden
In particular, he announced that the United States had worked with 30 other countries to release 60 million barrels of oil from reserves around the world to curb rising gasoline prices at the pump.
His plan includes reducing drug costs, including insulin, and childcare costs. It also provides tax credits to double the production of wind and solar energy.
“My plan doesn’t stop there. It also includes home care and long-term care. More affordable housing. And kindergarten for all 3- and 4-year-olds,” he said.
Joe Biden has also distanced himself from the Democratic left by speaking out against “defunding the police”. “The answer is to provide police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities,” he said.
The answer
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds presented the Republican response to the State of the Union address, criticizing Joe Biden for both his handling of inflation and his foreign policy.
“Instead of moving America forward, it feels like President Biden and his party have sent us back in time,” she said, alluding to the high inflation rates of the 1970s.
Speaking of the Democratic President’s foreign policy, she said, “Weakness on the world stage has a cost, and the President’s approach to foreign policy has always been too little too late. »