Prior to President Joseph Biden’s visit to the area next week, a senior US official described Russia’s recently announced fresh attack in Ukraine as “extremely sad.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military campaign received a harsh review from Amb. Victoria Nuland, the under secretary for political affairs at the State Department, addressed reporters on Thursday. She also questioned how long the Russian people would tolerate enormous losses.
The Ukrainian people’s will, capacity, and courage to defend their nation, their democracy, and their independence were grossly misjudged by Putin, according to Nuland. Along with that, Putin “gravely miscalculated the will of the free world to stand with Ukraine, our friends and partners, for as long as it takes.”
Nuland said that she wouldn’t risk penetrating Putin’s mind.
I think what we’ve seen is that he is arrogant enough to assume that he can overcome Ukraine, that Ukraine is Russian, and that he will continue. She said, “That is not a place that I want to be.”
Given how many of their boys they are losing — more than 200,000 Russians were killed or injured in battle last year — she said, “I believe the more fascinating issue is whether the Russian people will stand for this.”
Prior to February 24 — the anniversary of the Soviet invasion — Biden will go to Warsaw, Poland, where he will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda and representatives of the Bucharest Nine.
Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia make up the Bucharest Nine.
In July, Biden is scheduled to visit Lithuania for the NATO summit.
‘President Biden will deliver remarks ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,’ according to a statement from the White House announcing the trip. ‘President Biden will address how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy, and how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Biden has not yet been to Ukraine when it is at war.
On Mother’s Day a year ago, Jill Biden crossed the border to see Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine.
Her coming was a surprise and characterized with secrecy.
Leading members of Congress have also traveled there.
In May, a group was headed by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the leading Senate Republican.
Republican Senators John Cornyn, Susan Collins, and John Barrasso joined him.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled two weeks earlier.
Likewise has Antony Blinken, Biden’s secretary of state.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, paid a visit to Washington in December before the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives.
In an attempt to increase financial backing for the conflict after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy signaled his Republican majority would not be as ready to spend taxpayer cash on Ukraine’s war effort, he met with Biden at the White House and then spoke to a joint session of Congress.
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