Biden Hits Republicans for Gas Price Attacks: ‘Are You Now Saying We Were Wrong to Support Ukraine?’

President Joe Biden hits Republicans on Wednesday amid increasing gas prices nationwide.

During a speech at the White House where he called on Congress to approve a federal gas tax holiday, Biden slammed Republicans who’ve been blaming him for the high prices at the pump. Biden blamed Russian Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine earlier this year for the increases.

Since the invasion, Biden said, “gas prices have risen by almost $2 a gallon in the United States and sometimes more around the world.”

Biden continued:

It wasn’t just Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. It was a refusal of the United States and the rest of the Free World to let Putin get away with something we haven’t seen since World War II. I said at the time, siding with Ukraine during the most serious aggression in Europe since World War II, defending freedom, defending democracy, was not going to go without cost for the American people and the rest of the Free World. We were going to have to pay a price, as well, in the cost of military equipment, economic assistance, humanitarian relief, and sanctioned Russian banking industries.

Biden went on to note that there was widespread support among the American people and Congress “for supporting Ukraine knowing full well the cost.”

“So for all those Republicans in Congress criticizing me today for high gas prices in America, are you now saying we were wrong to support Ukraine?” he said. “Are you saying we were wrong to stand up to Putin? Are you saying that we would rather have lower gas prices in America and Putin’s iron fist in Europe? I don’t believe that.”

Watch above, via CNN.