US President Joe Biden assured Tuesday that war-torn Ukraine will “never be a victory for Russia”, during a speech in Poland, just before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion.
“A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire can never erode a people’s love for freedom, brutality will never crush the will of those who want to remain free,” Biden insisted.
“Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia — never,” he insisted in front of thousands of people gathered in front of the royal castle in Warsaw.
Speaking a day after his surprise trip to the Ukrainian capital, Mr Biden stressed that kyiv was still standing.
“Kiev is strong, kyiv is proud, it is standing tall and above all is free,” he told the crowd waving Polish, Ukrainian and American flags.
The American head of state responded to an anti-Western speech delivered Tuesday morning by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The West is not plotting to attack Russia as Putin said today,” he said. “The millions of Russian citizens who just want to live in peace with their neighbors are not the enemy.”
Vladimir Putin “thought autocrats like him were tough and democratic leaders soft, then he came up against the iron will of America and nations around the world who refuse to accept a ruled world out of fear,” he said.
“There should be no doubt: our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided and we will not give up,” assured the American president.
The official visit to Poland is Mr Biden’s second in the past twelve months. On Wednesday, he will meet the leaders of nine countries on NATO’s eastern flank in Warsaw.