U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a powerful speech welcoming NATO leaders to Washington, D.C., appearing to reassure allies overseas and at home that he can fend off Donald Trump’s looming electoral challenge.
The president opened the summit in a brief but powerful speech, declaring the military alliance “stronger than ever” as the war in Ukraine faces its greatest challenge in a generation.
He called this a “critical moment” for Europe and the world.
Biden warned that “dictators have upended the global order” and that terrorist groups continued to pose a threat, announced an increase in military aid to Ukraine and celebrated Sweden and Norway joining the alliance.
“The war will end with Ukraine continuing to be a free and independent nation,” Biden said. “Russia is not going to win. Ukraine is going to win.”
U.S. officials said the air defense assistance included Patriot missiles and their components. Allies will also provide Ukraine with dozens of other tactical air defense systems in the coming months.
Biden spoke for about 13 minutes Tuesday afternoon in a clear voice, a marked departure from his halting, soft-spoken tone during last month’s presidential debate.
His speech came at a fraught moment in his political career. He faced calls to resign as the Democratic presidential nominee after a poor performance in last month’s presidential debate.
The Biden team responded by trying to show that the 81-year-old is still energetic and capable of meeting the demands of the presidency.
His administration has emphasized his role in hosting a NATO summit in Washington, D.C., this week to celebrate the alliance’s 75th anniversary.
Leaders from 32 member states, including Britain’s new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, gathered on Tuesday night to hear Biden speak.
Before departing for Washington, Sir Keir said he was pleased to “confirm and reaffirm Labour’s unwavering support and unshakable support for NATO”.
He said the NATO trip “is about standing with our allies and actually discussing how to provide further support to Ukraine and sending a very, very clear message to Putin that we will oppose Russian aggression anywhere in the world.”
This event left a deep impression on the history of the league.
The meeting was held at the site where the original treaty was signed decades ago, which Biden cited in his speech.
After the leaders posed for photos, the audience watched a video celebrating NATO, which included archival footage of NATO troops and stirring speeches from world leaders.
In his opening remarks, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg celebrated the founding of the organization “with the express purpose of preserving peace and defending freedom.”
The bloc of countries currently faces significant challenges as Russia continues its war on Ukraine.
Stoltenberg called it “the biggest security crisis in generations.”
At the end of the speech, Biden invited Stoltenberg back to the podium, calling him “a man of integrity and academic rigor.”
He awarded Mr. Stoltenberg the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
