Joe Biden takes swipe at Trump for breaking ties with Europe and warns Putin of bad bet’ in Ukraine

Joe Biden slammed Donald Trump as he issued a warning to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, urging him to pull out of Ukraine and end his “bad bet” that the US would end its support for the war-torn country. to give.

The president claimed in yet another fiery speech in defense of Kiev that he had “rebuilt” ties with European allies after Trump’s spell at the White House and insisted that Putin “should not be allowed to occupy his neighbor’s territory with to resort to violence’.

“Russia could end this war tomorrow by withdrawing its troops from Ukraine” and “ceasing its inhumane attacks on women and children,” the 80-year-old said.

Unfortunately, Russia has so far shown no interest in the diplomatic outcome. Putin still mistakenly believes he can survive Ukraine. He can’t believe it’s their country, their country and their future and even after all this time Putin still doubts our endurance. He’s still making a bad guess.

“When Russian bombs started falling, we didn’t hesitate to act. We gathered the world to support the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and sovereignty.”

When Putin, and his cowardly lust for land and power, unleashed his ruthless war against Ukraine, he was betting that NATO would fall apart. He thought NATO would break. He thought our unit would shatter on the first trial. He thought Democratic leaders would be weak. But he thought wrong.’

Biden also made a thinly veiled attack on Donald Trump’s foreign policy, accusing his predecessor of undermining US ties to Europe.

The former president once considered withdrawing from NATO, arguing that America’s taxpayers were carrying too much of the burden, and withdrew nearly 10,000 troops from US bases in Germany.

“As president, I’ve been so focused on rebuilding and revitalizing alliances, the cornerstone of American leadership in recent years,” Biden said.

His administration had emphasized the importance of the relationship between Europe and the United States as an anchor for global stability.

And in blunt remarks clearly aimed at the real estate mogul and his Republican supporters, Biden said, “The idea that the United States could prosper without a secure Europe is not reasonable. That’s really no joke.’

Biden delivered his speech at Vilnius University, the oldest university in the Baltic nation once occupied by both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

Lithuania eventually broke away from the Soviet Union and re-established its independence in 1990, joining NATO in 2004.

The speech had echoes of Biden’s rallying cry in support of the military alliance in Warsaw earlier this year.

The United States spends more on defense than any other country, being the world’s largest economy with a value of just over $23 trillion.

It is currently wasting 3.1 percent of its gross domestic product, a key measure of economic activity, or about $816 billion on increasing its military might.

But the Biden administration said in March this year that it would increase that figure if Congress finally signed an $856 billion defense budget for 2024.

The second largest spender of NATO is Britain, which spends 3.5 percent of its GDP on defence, amounting to just over $72 billion.

That’s why Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had urged all 31 NATO members to spend at least 2 percent and honor a long-standing pledge agreed in Wales in 2014.

Poland has pledged to boost its own figure to 4% of GDP, while its entire economy is worth just over $688 billion this year.

Biden’s comments came at the end of a two-day visit to the Lithuanian capital for a major NATO summit that has been overshadowed by a row over when Kiev can join the mutual defense club.

The US had exchanged barbs with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over what he called the “absurd” delay in establishing a timeline for his country to sign on.

But Washington is concerned that the West could be dragged into a full-scale war with Russia and is only offering “long-term commitments” to protect Ukraine from future attacks.

US lawmakers have so far earmarked a total of $113 billion to help Kiev’s armed forces take out the Russian invaders.

Just over $46 billion has already been distributed and spent on military aid for the Ukrainian army, according to official data.

Zelensky struck a more conciliatory tone in his face-to-face talks with Biden in the Lithuanian capital on Wednesday.

The two leaders formed a stark contrast as they sat next to each other, Biden in a traditional suit and Zelensky in his signature military green T-shirt and pants.

Biden said he understood the Ukrainian leader’s frustration in getting the help he needs soon enough.

“I promise you that the United States will do everything it can to give you what you need,” Biden said in front of reporters.

“I look forward to the day when we have the gathering to celebrate your official, official membership in NATO,” he said.

Speaking to reporters later Wednesday, Zelensky warned he would not accept a “frozen conflict” with Russia.

“We want to get our land back, restore security to our territory,” Zelensky said. “That’s victory… A frozen conflict is not victory.”

G7 leaders instead offered a security deal brokered by Biden that pledged to strengthen Ukraine’s air, sea and land defenses.

But it stopped short of the “attack on one is attack on all” doctrine that is the hallmark of NATO that Biden called “a sacred oath” earlier on Wednesday.

That mutual defense clause has only been activated once in the organization’s history — by the United States after Al Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks in 2001.

The George W. Bush administration invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty to launch US-led Afghanistan.

Finland, which has been non-aligned for decades, is the latest country to sign up, while Sweden becomes the 32nd country to join.