Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky watched as President Joe Biden warned on Tuesday that no country is safe if Ukraine is “parted” by Russia.
Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly, attended by both Zelensky – dressed in his traditional military gear – and the Russian ambassador. Vaisily Nebenzya in the audience.
The US president hammered Russia’s “naked aggression” and vowed to continue funding Kiev, once again calling the current moment “a turning point in world history.”
Biden noted that “for the second year in a row, this meeting dedicated to the peaceful resolution of conflict is darkened by the shadow of war.”
The president called it “an illegal war of conquest” and one that was brought into Ukraine by Russia “without provocation.”
President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday morning. In his speech, he went after Russia’s “illegal war of conquest” in Ukraine and rededicated the US to the cause of helping Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky watched as President Joe Biden told the United Nations General Assembly that no country will be safe if the world allows Ukraine to be ‘partitioned’ by Russia
Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vaisily Nebenzya was captured looking at his phone as President Joe Biden addressed the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, criticizing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine
“Like every country in the world, the United States wants this war to end,” he said. “No country wants this war to end more than Ukraine. And we strongly support Ukraine and its efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution that delivers a just and lasting peace.”
But he said: ‘Only Russia, only Russia bears the responsibility for this war.’
“Only Russia has the power to end this war immediately. And it is only Russia that stands in the way of peace, because the Russians’ price for peace is the surrender of Ukraine, Ukrainian territory and Ukrainian children,” Biden said.
“Russia believes that the world will grow tired and allow Ukraine to act brutally without consequences,” the president added.
Biden then explained what he thought the price of that fatigue would be.
“But I ask you this: If we give up the core principles of the United States to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body be confident that it will be protected?” he asked.
“If we allow Ukraine to be divided, is the independence of any country safe?” the president mused.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky applauds as President Joe Biden accuses Russia of the war in Ukraine during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday
President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday
“I respectfully suggest that the answer is no,” Biden said. “We must confront this naked aggression today and deter other potential aggressors tomorrow.”
He did not mention Russian President Vladimir Putin by name.
“That is why the United States, together with our allies and partners around the world, will continue to stand with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and their freedom,” Biden said.
He received applause from the audience for this statement.
However, the pool reporter in the room also observed UNGA attendees checking Instagram and Google Maps on their phones during the president’s speech.
Nebenzya was also spotted on his phone during Biden’s speech.
Biden called sovereignty and territorial integrity a “firm foundation of this noble body.”
“And universal human rights, its north star.”
He touched on that concept during that speech, including standing up for LGBTQ people worldwide.
“These rights are part of our shared humanity… if they are missing somewhere, their loss is felt everywhere,” he said.
The president also reiterated that the US did not want a conflict with China.
“When it comes to China, I want to be clear and consistent: We seek to responsibly manage competition between our countries so that it does not devolve into conflict,” Biden said. “I said we are in favor of reducing risks and not in favor of decoupling with China.”
Biden also promised to keep the foreign aid flowing, despite some parts of the Republican Party wanting it on the chopping block.
“And as we work together to recover from global shocks, the United States will also remain the largest community and donor of humanitarian assistance at this moment of unprecedented need in the world,” the president said.
Biden began his speech by talking about his trip to Vietnam last week — a preview of what post-war relations could look like if Russia pulled out of Ukraine.
“Nothing about that journey was inevitable,” Biden said. “It would have been unthinkable for decades that an American president would stand in Hanoi next to a Vietnamese leader and announce a mutual commitment to partnership at the highest level.”
“But it is a powerful reminder that our history does not have to determine our future,” the president said. “With coordinated leadership and careful effort, adversaries can become partners, overwhelming challenges can be resolved, and deep wounds can be healed.”