Russian President Vladimir Putin was wrong when he thought war in Ukraine would break NATO unity, said US President Joe Biden in Vilnius on Wednesday, the 12th of July.
“When Putin, and his craven lust for land and power, unleashed his brutal war on Ukraine, he was betting NATO would break apart. He was betting NATO would break. He thought our unity would shatter at the first testing. He thought democratic leaders would be weak,” said Biden in his speech at Vilnius University.
“But he thought wrong,” said the US president.
We will undoubtedly defend freedom, and our commitment to Ukraine will not go down, said Biden.
“We will not waver. Our commitment to Ukraine will not weaken. We will stand for liberty and freedom today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes,” he said.
Biden stressed the war in Ukraine should end on just terms.
“Sovereignty and territorial integrity – these are two pillars of peaceful relations among nations,” said the US leader.
He also said the events of the 13th of January 1991 demonstrated to the world that nothing could not put out the fire of Lithuania’s liberty.
“It’s good to be back in Vilnius, a nation and a region that knows better than anyone the transformational power of freedom. You know, you showed the world that the strength of a people united cannot be denied. And together, with your brothers and sisters in Estonia and Latvia, you helped end the era of division through the power of connection,” said Biden.
“The Baltic Way, not the Berlin Wall, became the symbol for Europe’s future. And later, when Soviet tanks sought once more to deny your independence, the people of Vilnius said, “No.” No, no, no. And in January of 1991, tens of thousands of citizens, unarmed and unyielding, came for their own — of their own accord, standing as one to protect the TV Tower, to shield the Supreme Council, and to defend freedom,” added the US president.
“Fourteen heroes tragically lost their lives. Hundreds were wounded. But the whole world saw that decades of oppression had done nothing to dim the flame of liberty in this country,” he said.
“The light of Lithuania: you kept it strong,” Biden added, reminding that “America never recognized the Soviet occupation of the Baltics”.
Biden read his speech at Vilnius University after the two-day NATO summit that was held in the Lithuanian capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Also read: Latvia’s new president is more people-oriented, expert says