‘He Must Be Stopped’: Biden Slams Putin’s Massive Assault on Ukraine Targeting Civilians, Urges Congress to Send Aid ‘Without Any Further Delay’

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden sharply condemned Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine, stating that Vladimir Putin “must be stopped,” and urged Congress to send aid “without any further delay.”

News reports Friday morning revealed the damage wrought by Russia’s missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian cities, targeting civilian areas. According to CNN, at least 31 people are dead and at least 150 wounded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a tweet describing how Russia “used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal,” firing “around 110 missiles,” the majority of which were shot down, but the ones that got through hit “[a] maternity ward, educational facilities, a shopping mall, multi-story residential buildings and private homes, a commercial storage, and a parking lot” — all civilian areas.

In his statement, Biden described the attack as Russia’s “largest aerial assault on Ukraine since this war began,” noting how the “massive bombardment used drones and missiles, including missiles with hypersonic capability, to strike cities and civilian infrastructure all across Ukraine,” including reportedly hitting a maternity hospital, shopping mall, and residential areas.

“It is a stark reminder to the world that, after nearly two years of this devastating war, Putin’s objective remains unchanged,” Biden continued. “He seeks to obliterate Ukraine and subjugate its people. He must be stopped.”

The air defense systems that the U.S. and other allies had provided to Ukraine were able to “successfully intercept and destroy many of the missiles and drones,” the president noted, and the American people should be “proud of the lives we have helped to save.”

This latest assault showed how vital American support was, Biden added, and “Congress must step up and act without any further delay” in the new year so that the U.S. could “continue sending the weapons and vital air defense systems Ukraine needs to protect its people.”

“The stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine,” Biden argued, because “Putin has not just attempted to destroy Ukraine; he has threatened some of our NATO Allies as well,” and a dictator being “allowed to run roughshod in Europe” increases the risk that the U.S. “gets pulled in directly.”

“We cannot let our allies and partners down,” he concluded. “We cannot let Ukraine down. History will judge harshly those who fail to answer freedom’s call.”

Biden’s full statement:

Overnight, Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Ukraine since this war began. This massive bombardment used drones and missiles, including missiles with hypersonic capability, to strike cities and civilian infrastructure all across Ukraine. Strikes reportedly hit a maternity hospital, a shopping mall, and residential areas—killing innocent people and injuring dozens more. It is a stark reminder to the world that, after nearly two years of this devastating war, Putin’s objective remains unchanged. He seeks to obliterate Ukraine and subjugate its people. He must be stopped.

In the face of this brutal attack, Ukraine deployed the air defense systems that the United States and our Allies and partners have delivered to Ukraine over the past year to successfully intercept and destroy many of the missiles and drones. The American people can be proud of the lives we have helped to save and the support we have given Ukraine as it defends its people, its freedom, and its independence. But unless Congress takes urgent action in the new year, we will not be able to continue sending the weapons and vital air defense systems Ukraine needs to protect its people. Congress must step up and act without any further delay.

The stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine. They affect the entirety of the NATO Alliance, the security of Europe, and the future of the Transatlantic relationship. Putin has not just attempted to destroy Ukraine; he has threatened some of our NATO Allies as well. When dictators and autocrats are allowed to run roughshod in Europe, the risk rises that the United States gets pulled in directly. And the consequences reverberate around the world. That’s why the United States has rallied a coalition of more than 50 countries to support the defense of Ukraine. We cannot let our allies and partners down. We cannot let Ukraine down. History will judge harshly those who fail to answer freedom’s call.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!