“We stand at an inflection point, an inflection point in history where the choices we make now are going to shape the direction of our world for decades to come. The world has changed. Will we turn back naked, unchecked aggression today to deter other world-would-be -aggressors tomorrow?” he said in remarks in Vilnius.
“We will not waver. I mean that,” Biden added. “Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken. We will stand for liberty and freedom today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes. We all want this war to end on just terms.”
The location of the president’s speech Wednesday was symbolic, as Lithuania shares a border with Russia. Lithuania’s membership in NATO is seen as a critical deterrent to potential Russian aggression.
“Every day, we have to make the choice. Every day, we must summon the strength to stand for what is right, to stand for what is true, to stand for freedom, to stand together,” Biden said.
Biden’s address came at the conclusion of a NATO summit that was dominated by talk of continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russia but also exposed tensions over what path Ukraine might have to join the alliance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday expressed frustration about the skepticism from Biden and some other world leaders about Ukraine joining NATO, a move Biden has said should wait until after the war with Russia has ended. By Wednesday, Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine would not be able to join the alliance while the war was ongoing.
While Biden didn’t mention Ukraine’s potential membership into NATO during his remarks, he highlighted that NATO members have an obligation to defend one another. Biden and other allies have warned that taking Ukraine into NATO at this time would mean all allies were at war with Russia.
“It is a sacred oath: An attack against one is an attack against all,” Biden said.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
