On Friday, March 8, US President Joe Biden addressed the Congress with a speech "On the state of affairs in the country". He dedicated the beginning of his speech to the Russian leader Putin and the war he started in Ukraine. In his speech, he also criticized Donald Trump, namely his words about NATO and US allies.
"My predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin that he can do whatever he wants. I think it's outrageous, it's dangerous and it's unacceptable!" - said Biden.
Biden used the term "my predecessor" in reference to Trump 13 times in a speech that lasted more than an hour. He accused him of "bowing" to Russia and criticized him for protests at the Capitol.
What Biden said about Ukraine in his speech.
"Hitler was on the march. A war was raging in Europe. The goal of President Roosevelt (Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States from 1933 to 1945 - ed.) was to wake up Congress and warn the American people that this is not an ordinary moment. Freedom and democracy are under attack in the world," Biden said at the beginning.
As the American leader noted, today he came to the same hall to address the nation.
"My goal tonight is to wake up this Congress and warn the American people that this is also an unusual moment. Not since President Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States from 1861 to 1865 - ed.) and the Civil War have liberty and democracy been attacked here at home as they are today. What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack at home and abroad at the same time.” — emphasized Biden.
"Ukraine can stop Putin if it is given the necessary weapons"
According to him, there have not been such attacks on democracy in the USA since the Civil War. The head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, is not going to stop in Ukraine. He is wreaking havoc across Europe, Biden said.
"But Ukraine can stop Putin. Ukraine can stop Putin if we provide them with the weapons they need." said the American president.
Biden believes that military aid to Kyiv is being blocked by those who want to push America off the course of world leadership.
In addition, he emphasized the importance of the military-political union of NATO and reminded that the USA was among the founders of the alliance.
"Today we have made NATO stronger than ever. We welcomed Finland into the alliance last year, and this morning Sweden officially joined NATO," — said Biden and congratulated the Prime Minister of Sweden, who was present in the hall of Congress during this speech.
A call for the adoption of a package of support for Ukraine and a message to Putin
In his speech, he recalled how Republican President Ronald Reagan (US President from 1981 to 1989) called on the then Secretary General of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev to demolish the Berlin Wall as a symbol of the Soviet leadership's desire for change.
"Now my predecessor, the former Republican president, is saying to Putin: 'Do whatever you want.' This is a quote. The former American president actually said this while bowing before the Russian leader. This is outrageous. Dangerous and unacceptable... I say to Congress: we must stand up to Putin. Send me a bipartisan national security bill. History is watching. If the United States leaves now, it will put Ukraine at risk. Europe is under threat. The free world is at risk by encouraging others who want to do us harm. My message to President Putin is simple. We will not go. We will not bow down. I will not bow." - said Biden.
History is watching
He also repeatedly repeated the phrase "history is watching" in his speech. In particular, when he mentioned the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021. He emphasized that "politically motivated violence has no place in America." Biden accused previous President Trump of trying to "bury the truth" about the day.
"We have to be honest, the threat remains and democracy needs to be protected. My predecessor and some of you here are trying to bury the truth about January 6th. I won't do that...You can't love your country only when you win. Respect free and fair elections! Restore trust in our institutions! And make it clear that political violence has no place in America. History is watching." - added the president.
In his speech, Biden assured that everything what Ukraine is asking for is weapons, not soldiers:
"But Ukraine can stop Putin if we support Ukraine and provide the weapons necessary to defend it. This is all that Ukraine is asking for. They are not asking for American soldiers"
According to him, there are no American soldiers in Ukraine and he is determined to keep it that way.
The words about the need to support Ukraine were applauded not only by congressmen and senators from the Democratic Party, but also by some Republicans.
Biden's fellow party members gave a standing ovation to almost every line he made during the speech.
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