President Joe Biden gave one of his last speeches as president at the State Department on Monday, focusing on foreign policy issues like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“When Putin invaded Ukraine, he thought he could take over Kyiv in just a few days. But the truth is, I’m the only one who has stood in the center of Kyiv since this war began — not Putin,” Biden said, receiving applause from the audience.
“It was a long train ride,” he joked, “but I’m the only U.S. president to visit a war zone that wasn’t controlled by American forces.”
Biden highlighted how America helped Ukraine resist Russian forces. “Nearly three years later, Putin has not achieved any of his main goals,” Biden said. “He has failed to take over Ukraine, failed to weaken NATO, and failed to gain large amounts of territory.”
The president explained how the U.S. and its allies had supported Ukraine by rallying 15 countries from Europe and Asia to help, providing air defenses, massive amounts of ammunition, and imposing strict sanctions on Russia. These measures left Russia struggling to replace its military equipment and soldiers. Biden also mentioned that Russia’s currency, the ruble, was under heavy pressure.
Biden reflected on the situation at the start of the invasion, saying he had two main goals: “to unite the world in defending Ukraine and to prevent a war between two nuclear powers.”
“We achieved both,” Biden said. “Today, Ukraine remains a free and independent country with the potential for a bright future. We’ve also set the groundwork for the next administration to continue protecting Ukraine and its people.”
