The president of the United States, Joe Biden, assured this Wednesday in Lithuania, on the last day of the NATO Summit, that the Atlantic Alliance is “stronger, more energetic and more united than ever”.
Biden has argued that NATO is more important than ever and has framed the war in Ukraine as a global fight between the world’s democracies and autocracies.
“Our commitment to Ukraine will not be weakened. We will defend freedom today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes,” the US head of state said, during an emotional speech at Vilnius University, which was hung with Lithuanian and American flags. of the facade.
From Vilnius, Biden mentioned the great courage of the Lithuanians who in that city, when they faced Soviet troops on January 13, 1991, were sent to crush an attempt by the Baltic state to regain independence, events that ended in death of 14 people. .
Reminiscing about the past, Joe Biden alluded to the invasion that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, launched in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, praising the resistance shown by the Ukrainians.
The democrat argued that Putin cannot understand that “freedom is something that can never be taken away” from a people and called on democracies around the world, from Europe to Asia, to work together to overcome current challenges.
At their annual summit, the allies declared that “Ukraine’s future lies in NATO”, but they did not define a concrete timetable for its integration, which caused some disappointment between Ukraine and the countries on the eastern flank of the military organization.
However, Biden and other G7 leaders today signed a statement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledging to ensure Ukraine’s long-term security.
This statement, immediately condemned by Russia, was a small victory for Ukraine and a further step in supporting the West.
At the end of the NATO Summit, the kyiv leader stressed the importance of the joint declaration signed with the G7 leaders.
Zelensky also admitted that Western support for his country depends on the situation at the front.
“You and I must understand that this all depends on what happens on the battlefield,” he continued. “We shouldn’t just stand by and hope that someone will continue to support us for decades.”
“The current situation is what it is. Our priority is victory and integration will come soon,” she said, referring to the country’s prospects for joining NATO and the European Union (EU).
Source: TSF
