USA working to hold Putin accountable for Russia’s “brutal aggression”
Warsaw: Claiming that the Russian President Vladimir Putin was “counting on being able to divide NATO”, the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden today asserted that NATO stays “absolutely, completely, thoroughly united”.
During his meeting with the Polish President Andrzej Duda here today, Biden said, “…the single-most-important criterion in this time of a changing world — so much has changed, and not just here but in other parts of the world — is that NATO stay absolutely, completely, thoroughly united; that there be no separation in our points of view; that whatever we do, we do in unison; and everyone — everyone comes along.’
“A united NATO thus foiled Putin’s plans to “separate the eastern flank from the West”, be able to separate nations based on past histories, Biden said, and added: “But he hasn’t been able to do it. We’ve all stayed together. And — and so, I just think it’s so important that we — Poland and the United States — keep in lockstep in how we’re proceeding. And also, we do acknowledge that Poland is taking on a significant responsibility that I don’t think should just be Poland, it should be the whole world — all of NATO’s responsibility”.
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Biden referred to the Ukrainians seeking refuge in Poland and said, “The fact that you have so many — so many Ukrainians seeking refuge in the — in this country of Poland, we understand that because we have, in our southern border, thousands of people a day — literally, not figuratively — trying to get into the United States. But we believe that we, the United States, should do our part, relative to Ukraine as well, by opening our borders to another hundred thousand people”.
He further said that it was important that the USA and Poland remained in constant contact about “how we each wish to proceed, relative to what Russia is doing, and how to proceed”.
The two leaders discussed ongoing international efforts to impose powerful sanctions on Russia for its “unjustified and unprovoked” attack on Ukraine. They also discussed their shared commitment to continue supporting the government and people of Ukraine.
Biden thanked President Duda and the people of Poland for “opening their homes and hearts to their neighbours in need”, and he pledged continued U.S. support to these humanitarian assistance efforts. He underscored the United States’ “unwavering commitment” to the security of all its NATO allies. In addition, the two leaders discussed their “robust” bilateral defence cooperation, US support for Europe’s efforts to reduce its reliance on Russian energy and to meet our climate goals, and the democratic values on which the transatlantic relationship is based.
The US President and his Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken as well as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin today also met with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov for an update on Ukraine’s military, diplomatic, and humanitarian situation.
Biden updated the Ministers on U.S. efforts to rally the world in support of Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression, including through the President’s meetings this week in Belgium, and the “significant” military and humanitarian assistance the United States is providing to Ukraine. They discussed further efforts to help Ukraine defend its territory. They also discussed the United States’ ongoing actions to hold President Putin accountable for Russia’s brutal aggression, in coordination with its allies and partners, including through the new sanctions actions announced by the President in Brussels on March 24, 2022.
Biden also called Opposition Leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya of Belarus and thanked her for attending his speech in Warsaw tonight. He underscored the continued support of the United States for the Belarusian people in defending and advancing human rights, including freedom of expression, and free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, Blinken said, “President Putin may have assumed that the United States and our allies were bluffing when we warned of massive, unprecedented consequences. But – as President Biden likes to say – big nations can’t bluff. The United States doesn’t bluff. And President Putin has gravely miscalculated.”
The US State Department highlighted the following actions that America and its allies had taken against Russia to date:
- Applied powerful sanctions on Russia’s largest financial institutions and its sovereign wealth fund.
- Made it difficult for Russia to find funding for its war beyond its borders.
- Choked off Russian imports of key technologies.
- Targeted the financial networks and assets of Russian and Belarusian elites, including President Putin and members of his security council.
Above photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: kremlin.ru
– global bihari bureau
