Topline
President Joe Biden on Saturday said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “a butcher” after visiting Ukrainian refugees in the Polish capital Warsaw, after assuring that the United States has made a “sacred commitment” to defend NATO members in talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda.
President Joe Biden meets Ukrainian refugees in a stadium in Warsaw, Poland, on March 26, 2022. … [+] (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Asked about Putin’s actions in Ukraine, and the Russian siege of Mariupol, Biden said, “he’s a butcher.”
In a press appearance with Duda on Saturday, Biden said that the U.S. sees NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle as “a sacred commitment that relates to every member” of the alliance.
Two world wars have shown that Europe’s stability is tied to the U.S., Biden said, adding that when the U.S. stays out of stability in Europe, “it always comes back to haunt us, the United States.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that the U.S. vowed in a meeting Saturday to provide additional defense support to Ukraine.
Biden said Poland has taken on a “significant responsibility” of accepting Ukrainian refugees, which he added should be “the whole world’s, all of NATO’s responsibility.”
Big Number
2.2 million. That’s the number of Ukrainians who have fled to Poland, or nearly 60% of 3.8 million Ukrainian refugees, as of Friday, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
Key Background
Biden is wrapping up his four-day trip to Europe in Poland after meeting with NATO and G-7 leaders to keep allies synchronized in opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden said Friday the U.S. would boost its supply of liquefied natural gas to Europe as part of efforts to reduce the bloc’s reliance on Russian energy. During a meeting with world leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Biden said Russia should be ejected from the Group of 20 major economies.
Further Reading
Biden says Putin is “a butcher” after speaking with refugees (CNN)
U.S. Reaches Liquefied Natural Gas Deal With EU To Reduce Europe’s Reliance On Russia (Forbes)
