US President Joe Biden assured Wednesday in Lithuania, the last day of the NATO summit, that the Atlantic Alliance is “stronger, more vibrant and more united than ever.”
Biden argued that NATO was more important than ever and presented the war in Ukraine as a global struggle between the world’s democracies and autocracies.
“Our commitment to Ukraine will not be weakened. We will defend freedom today, tomorrow and for as long as necessary,” the American head of state said during an emotional speech at Vilnius University, decorated with Lithuanian and US flags. from the facade.
Beginning in Vilnius, Biden referred to the great courage of the Lithuanians who, in that city, when they encountered Soviet troops on January 13, 1991, were sent to crush the Baltic state’s attempt to regain independence, an event that ended in the death of 14 people. .
Looking back, Joe Biden referred to the invasion that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin launched in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, praising the resistance displayed by the Ukrainians.
The democrat said Putin could not understand that “freedom is something that cannot be taken away” from the people, and called on democracies around the world, from Europe to Asia, to work together to overcome the current challenges.
At their annual summit, the allies said that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO” but did not set a specific time frame for its integration, which caused some frustration between Ukraine and countries on the eastern flank of the military organization.
However, Biden and other G7 leaders on Wednesday signed a declaration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which they pledged to ensure the long-term security of Ukraine.
This declaration, immediately condemned by Russia, was a small victory for Ukraine and another step in support of the West.
At the end of the NATO summit, the Kiev leader stressed the importance of the joint declaration signed with the leaders of the G7.
Zelensky also acknowledged that Western support for his country depends on the situation at the front.
“You and I must understand that it all depends on what happens on the battlefield,” he continued. “We shouldn’t just sit back and hope that someone will continue to support us for decades.”
“The current situation is what it is. Our priority is victory, and integration will come soon,” he said, referring to the prospect of the country joining NATO and the European Union (EU).
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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