[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] "Putin's cowardly desire for power and territory will fail."
On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden, visiting Poland, a neighboring country to Ukraine, criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and reaffirmed his commitment to continue supporting Ukraine.
On the afternoon of the 21st (local time), President Biden said in a speech held at the Kubiki Arcade in the Royal Castle Garden in Poland, "Our support for Ukraine will not waver. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will not be divided, and we will not tire."
The speech drew attention as it came immediately after President Putin, in his state of the nation address, blamed the West for the year-long ongoing war in Ukraine and announced Russia's withdrawal from the nuclear arms control treaty with the United States.
President Biden dismissed claims that the West seeks to destroy Russia or plans to attack it. He raised his voice, saying, "The United States and Europe do not seek the destruction of Russia, nor do we conspire to attack it."
Furthermore, he described the prolonged war as a test for democratic countries and emphasized support for Ukraine, stating, "The world's democracies will defend freedom today, tomorrow, and forever." President Biden also criticized President Putin for underestimating Ukraine and condemned the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people.
This speech, following a surprise visit to Ukraine, is interpreted as a reaffirmation of a firm defense commitment to Ukraine and a demonstration of the strength of the Western security alliance. The day before, President Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, held a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and conveyed plans for an additional $500 million military aid package.
It is also seen as a rebuttal and warning message to President Putin's state of the nation address made just a few hours earlier. Earlier, in a state of the nation address at the Gostiny Dvor exhibition hall in Moscow, President Putin announced Russia's withdrawal from the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the United States.
At the event, President Putin claimed, "The West started the war, and we used force to stop it," and asserted, "The West is trying to escalate a regional conflict into a global one." He also warned that additional Western military support for Ukraine would provoke a military response from Russia. Threatening remarks suggesting nuclear tests were also made. He said, "If the United States conducts nuclear tests, we will do the same," and added, "The Ministry of Defense and (state nuclear company) Rosatom must prepare for this."
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