Biden said that a firm stance against Russia’s aim to seize a large swath of land will deter future incursions into independent countries. The US leader warned that Russia is betting that the world is “tired” of war and will allow Moscow to “handle Ukraine harshly and without consequences”.
While the US supports a diplomatic solution to the war, Russia’s “price of peace” is the “surrender of Ukraine, its territory and its children,” Biden said.
“I ask you: if we abandon the basic principles of the UN Charter to appease an aggressor, can any member country feel confident in its security? If we allow Ukraine to be divided, will the independence of any country be secure? Answer – no. We must confront this open aggression today to deter other potential aggressors tomorrow,” Biden said.