For nearly a half-hour in his address to the UN Assembly on Tuesday, President Biden put both Russia and China on notice that the U.S. was not going to tolerate their aggressive actions. Neither Vladimir Putin nor Xi Jinping were present to hear Biden’s bold pronouncements. Absent too were Emmanuel Macron of France and Rishi Sunak, England’s prime minister, thus making Biden the only member of the UN Security Council on board.
Biden once more pledged full support to Ukraine, and the television camera quickly captured President Zelensky’s blank expression. The president said that no nation is secure if “we allow Ukraine to be carved up.” His comment drew sustained applause.
Russia, Biden said, cannot be allowed “to brutalize Ukraine without consequence…We must stand up to this naked aggression today to deter would-be aggressors tomorrow.” The speech practically echoed the one he delivered last year.
Currently, the Biden administration is working on getting approval from Congress to provide $24 billion in additional funding for Ukraine, which they realize will be a tough request given the resistance of some conservative House members.
China was taken to task as well, although there was a tone of conciliation with an aim toward patching up things with China. “We seek to responsibly manage competition between our two countries so it does not tip into conflict,” Biden said. The Biden administration has been actively engaged in challenging China’s spreading political and economic influence in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Although much of his speech was keyed to Russia and China, Biden also made some comments about other global issues, including the turmoil in Haiti. He asked his partners on the Security Council to immediately authorize Kenya’s multinational force to help curb the attacks by gangs in Haiti and restore peace. He thanked Kenyan President William Rugo for his “willingness to serve as lead nation of the UN security support mission….the people in Haiti cannot wait much longer.”
As expected, Trump dismissed Biden’s speech as one of “surrender.” He claimed that “despite all we give them, nobody showed up,” in a post on TruthSocial. “No respect for America any longer.”
On several occasions this year, Trump has promised to end the war and not commit to sending aid to Ukraine if reelected.
