WITH . – 03/25/2022 19:15 (act. 03/25/2022 19:15)
During his visit to Poland, Biden again called Putin a “war criminal”. © REUTERS / Evelyn Hockstein (symbol image)
US President Joe Biden once again called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” during his visit to a neighboring country with Ukraine – Poland.
The devastation in Ukraine comes from “a man who, frankly, I consider a war criminal,” said Biden on Friday in Rzeszów, about 90 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. “And I think that will also fit the legal definition,” he added.
Biden previously called the president of Russia Putin a war criminal
Biden previously called Putin a war criminal. The White House emphasized then that the US president spoke from the bottom of his heart. In Rzeszów, Biden and the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, learned about the humanitarian mission to care for refugees from Ukraine. “I mean, it’s just frustrating to see these little kids or babies looking at their mothers,” said Biden. You don’t have to speak their language, you can see the pain in their eyes.
At the meeting, Duda emphasized that his country was willing to help the people of Ukraine. “We are not saying refugees – they are our guests” – emphasized Duda. Ukrainians are “brothers and neighbors” and everything indicates that the number of refugees will continue to grow.
Biden thanked the American soldiers in Poland
Before meeting Duda, Biden thanked the American soldiers in Poland for their service on the eastern flank of NATO. “I came for a simple, compelling reason. To say thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your service, “he said during a visit to the branches in Rzeszów. Biden stressed that 100,000 US troops are now in Europe due to troop reinforcements due to the war in Ukraine.
Biden said the current conflict is about more than just helping the people of Ukraine and stopping the “massacres.” It is also about the freedom of the children and grandchildren of American soldiers. In the last ten years, more democracies have been lost in the world than were founded. The question is whether democracies or autocracies will prevail in global competition, Biden said. “Probably that’s what’s at stake, so what you do matters a lot.”
Biden’s plans for a visit to Poland have mixed up
Biden’s plans related to the visit to Poland were jeopardized after the emergency landing of President Duda’s plane. Air Force One with Biden on board landed at the Rzeszów airport shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday. Biden did not get off Air Force One for almost an hour – he did not get off the plane until around 15:00. Then he was greeted by the Polish Minister of Defense Mariusz Błaszczak. A replacement plane with Duda on board landed at the airport at about the same time. Actually, Duda should have welcomed the US President, but his plane had to return to Warsaw due to damage, where Duda switched to a replacement plane.
That’s why Biden first met with US military personnel from the 82nd Airborne Division right next to the airport. Television shots showed the US president eating pizza with his soldiers. Before the outbreak of the war, the USA transferred 4,700 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division from North Carolina to Poland. They will strengthen the 4,500 soldiers the United States has long been stationed in Poland. So far, there is no permanent US military base in Poland.
Biden’s trip to Poland during the war between Russia and Ukraine
Biden’s trip to a NATO partner country concerns only Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Biden wants to go to Warsaw on Friday evening. On Saturday, he wants there, among others to deliver a speech on the war in Ukraine. In it, he will “discuss the importance of the moment,” announced Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor. It is about underlining “the urgency of the challenge facing us” and “the importance of the conflict in Ukraine for the world”.
Biden: The US wants to accept up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine
Biden was previously in Brussels. On Thursday, he took part in three summit meetings there – the program included a special NATO summit, the summit of the leading democratic economic powers (G7) and the EU summit. Biden announced in Brussels, inter alia, that the United States would like to accept up to 100,000. refugees from Ukraine.