Biden, 81, glares into the teleprompter and almost makes disastrous slip-up during NATO speech to world leaders trying to prove he is fit to serve

President Joe Biden avoided a near-disastrous misstep Tuesday during his welcoming speech to NATO leaders, as the world watched to assess whether he was fit to serve another four years in the White House.

The president, who was visibly reading from the autocue, nearly read out the instructions as he presented outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor.

“Ask the military adviser,” Biden said, but then stopped himself.

“Soldier, step forward,” he said, averting a near-blunder. He handed the medal and hung it around Stoltenberg’s neck, without incident.

Biden’s stamina will be tested with the start of the NATO summit on Tuesday, where American voters and leaders abroad will see how he holds up after his car-crash debate with Donald Trump.

A strong showing will bring a sigh of relief to allies worried that a Trump victory could lead to a return to American isolation. A mistake will send their blood pressure soaring.

The three-day fitness test began Tuesday night as Biden, 81, marked the organization’s 75th anniversary. It will continue with meetings and a dinner with world leaders on Wednesday and culminate in a press conference on Thursday.

Biden’s speech was relatively flawless and his words were powerful, but he remained focused on the teleprompter in front of him.

He also made a slight misstep when he tried to tell a story about Stoltenberg’s request to stay on as NATO chief.

“I realized I was talking to your wife. I personally asked you to extend your service,” Biden said, chuckling. “Forgive me. You put your own plans on hold. You didn’t hesitate.”

Biden last year asked Stoltenberg to stay on for another year, which he did. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, chosen by NATO leaders, will succeed him and take over on October 1.

The theme of the welcome ceremony was the importance and strength of NATO.

Biden noted in his speech that “NATO is more powerful today than ever before: 32 countries strong.” Sweden and Finland joined this group last year.

But Biden also warned of the threat of autocrats. His warning comes as his fellow NATO leaders fret about the possibility of Donald Trump winning the 2024 presidential election.

“Autocrats have overthrown the world order,” he noted.

Biden has made “restoring America’s position in the world” a key policy plank, after Donald Trump’s years of isolationist policies.

“Remember, the nature of NATO is fundamentally democratic. It always has been and it always will be. NATO is a better resource than ever,” he said in his remarks.

Trump has suggested that in a second term he would not defend NATO allies who did not pay their full dues — 2% of their respective GDPs. The former president has also questioned the amount of aid to Ukraine.

Both prospects are causing concern among NATO leaders.

Biden indicated that he has persuaded more NATO members to increase their contributions.

“The year 2020 was the year I was elected president. Only nine NATO allies spend 2% of their defense GDP,” he said. “This year, 23 will spend at least 2%.”

“And some will spend more than that. And the remaining countries that have not yet reached that milestone will. This is remarkable progress. It is evidence that our commitment is broad and deep.”

Biden also announced that the US and other NATO allies Ukraine dozens of air defense systems in the coming months, including at least four of the powerful Patriot systems that Kiev is seeking.

“Russia will not win,” the president said.

“Ukraine can and will stop Putin,” Biden noted.

The US, Germany and Romania are sending Ukraine additional Patriot batteries, while the Netherlands and others are supplying Patriot components to build another battery. Italy is supplying a SAMP-T air defense system.

Other allies, including Canada, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom, will provide a number of other systems that will help Ukraine expand its coverage. Those systems include NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS and Gepards. And other countries have agreed to provide munitions for those systems.

Biden will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

The welcome ceremony on Tuesday began with a video about the history of the alliance and the important role it has played in Europe over the past 75 years. The narrator called the alliance “the most powerful alliance in human history.”

The video was about the fall of the Berlin Wall and the September 11 attacks.

“True friendship is more than a promise, more than just signatures on a piece of paper. It’s a way of navigating life, and if you show yourself worthy of true friendship, it will draw others to your side with the same sense of commitment,” the narrator said.

Members of the military sang a melody of and war songs. All the flags of the NATO countries were on display. And a choir of trumpets played out the leaders.

The White House invited Hollywood greats Ron Howard and Brian Grazer to produce the event, which featured music by renowned composer Hans Zimmerman.

The meeting of leaders from the 32 NATO nations — plus Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, as well as Ukraine — is expected to be one of Biden’s last appearances at an international forum before Election Day.

It will also be on the agenda at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.

But as a reminder of his age, Biden is the only head of government alive at the time of NATO’s founding.