Biden Apologizes for Delayed Aid to Ukraine as Putin Threatens Retaliation

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky attended the 80th anniversary of the D-Day events in Normandy, accompanied by European leaders who have backed Kyiv in the ongoing war with Russia. 

Speaking in Paris a day after the event, Biden apologized to the Ukrainian people for the weeks of uncertainty about additional assistance, pointing fingers at the conservative Republicans in Congress who delayed a $61 billion military aid package to Ukraine for six months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for bipartisan U.S. support like that during World War II. Mr. Biden promised that the U.S. would continue to support Ukraine, connecting the effort to free Europe from Nazi control during World War II with the current conflict against Russian aggression.

Another Cold War?

The war between Russia and Ukraine has heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S., reminiscent of the Cold War era. On June 5, Putin issued a warning to Washington and its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), stating that Russia would retaliate with long-range weapons against Western targets if NATO allies permitted Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory.

On Wednesday, a U.S. senator stated that Ukraine had utilized U.S. weapons to strike within Russia under new directives approved by President Joe Biden, permitting the use of American arms specifically for the defense of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

Mr. Putin alleged that Western-supplied weapons are being controlled and targeted by the military personnel of those countries, prompting Moscow to consider “asymmetrical” responses globally. 

The U.S. military denied controlling the missiles or their targets in Ukraine. Putin questioned the fairness of delivering such weapons to the combat zone, suggesting that Russia has the right to supply similar weapons to regions where they could target sensitive facilities in the countries supporting Ukraine.

Putin on US Presidential Election 

In an extended discussion with senior leaders from international news agencies, including The Associated Press, which lasted more than three hours, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that Russia-U.S. relations would remain unchanged regardless of whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. Putin emphasized his readiness to collaborate with any president elected by the American people.

Putin went on to say, “I say this absolutely sincerely. We don’t believe the election outcome will change the American policy track regarding Russia. We think nothing significant will happen.” This statement underscores Putin’s belief that the fundamental dynamics of U.S.-Russia relations are deeply rooted and not easily swayed by changes in American leadership.

Furthermore, Putin commented on the recent legal troubles of Donald Trump, who was convicted of felony charges in a hush money trial last week. Putin suggested that this conviction resulted from the American judicial system being used as a tool in the country’s internal political battles. 

He implied that such legal actions are part of a broader strategy within the U.S. to influence political outcomes and maintain the status quo in its foreign policy, including its stance toward Russia. This perspective underscores Putin’s view of American politics as highly strategic and internally focused, with external relations influenced by domestic political maneuvering.