Targeting Russia: "Ukraine Invaded by Tyrant"
U.S. President Joe Biden attended the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Normandy landings on the 6th (local time) and urged the fight against forces threatening democracy.
In his speech at the ceremony held at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, northwestern France, President Biden said, "Eighty years ago, the United States fought alongside its allies for the same purpose. Those who sacrificed here fought for freedom and democracy, knowing they might die but believing it was worth it."
U.S. President Joe Biden is delivering a speech at the 80th anniversary ceremony of the Normandy landings. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]
He criticized, "We know the forces of darkness that the heroes of 80 years ago fought against, and they never disappear. The desires for aggression and greed, domination and control, and changing borders by force are eternal."
Although he did not directly mention Russian President Vladimir Putin, he referred to Ukraine as having been "invaded by a tyrant obsessed with domination." He also claimed, "While Ukrainians are fighting extraordinarily bravely, 350,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in this war, and one million people who cannot envision a future in Russia have left the country."
President Biden emphasized that support for Ukraine against Russia will continue and that the democratic camp is united. "Today, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is stronger and more united than ever and more prepared to defend peace against aggression," he said. "The United States, NATO, and an alliance of more than 50 countries strongly support Ukraine, and we will not back down."
He added, "If we retreat, Ukraine will be conquered, and it will not end there; the entire continent of Europe will be threatened. We cannot allow this to happen."
President Biden stated, "America's unique ability to bring many countries together is an undeniable source of American strength," and said, "Isolationism was not the answer 80 years ago, nor is it the answer today."
CNN analyzed this as a remark targeting former President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid the presidential race. President Biden is positioning himself in opposition to Trump by championing the defense of democracy.
The event was attended by 25 heads of state, including French President Emmanuel Macron, King Charles III of the United Kingdom, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Polish President Andrzej Duda, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian President Sergio Mattarella. This was King Charles III's first overseas visit since publicly revealing his cancer diagnosis in February.
President Macron said, "Eighty years ago today, those who landed here did not wear the same national flags or uniforms, but they faced death with a shared desire to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny," adding, "What they risked their lives to protect was freedom."
He continued, "In a situation where war is happening again on our continent today, where everything they fought for is being challenged again, let us not shame those who landed here by allowing people to change borders by force or rewrite history." Although he did not specify, this was interpreted as a statement targeting Russia.
France invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the 70th anniversary ceremony in 2014 but did not invite him in 2019 or this year. Instead, they invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is at war against Russia.
President Zelenskyy posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Eighty years ago, the Allied forces defended Europe's freedom, and now Ukrainians are doing the same," adding, "Just as unity won then, true unity can win today."
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