“Poles know better than anyone what solidarity means,” says Biden in Warsaw on Ukraine war anniversary

US President Joe Biden hailed the unity and strength of NATO in the face of Russian aggression during a speech in Warsaw to mark the first anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He also praised Poland and its people for the support they have shown to Ukrainian refugees.

“President Putin is confronted with something today that he didn’t think was possible a year ago,” declared Biden, speaking outside Warsaw’s Royal Castle. “The democracies of the world have grown stronger, not weaker. But the autocrats of the world have grown weaker, not stronger.”

“One year after the bombs began to fall and Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Ukraine is still independent and free,” continued the US president, who yesterday made a surprise visit to Kyiv ahead of his Warsaw trip.

“In moments of great upheaval and uncertainty, knowing what you stand for is most important, and knowing who stands with you makes all the difference,” said Biden, as Ukrainian, Polish and US flags were waved in the crowd. “The people of Poland know…better than anyone…what that solidarity means.”

“Through partition and oppression, when the beautiful city was destroyed after the Warsaw Uprising, during decades under the iron fist of communist rule, Poland endured because you stood together,” added Biden, who also spoke in the Polish capital last year a month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Brutality will never grind down the will of the free.  And Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia,” declared the US president. “Appetites of the autocrat cannot be appeased. They must be opposed. Autocrats only understand one word: no!”

Biden also pledged to “hold accountable those who are responsible for this war…[to] seek justice for the war crimes and crimes against humanity continuing to be committed by the Russians”.

As he did last year, the US president praised Poland for the way it has taken in refugees from Ukraine, around a million of whom are estimated to remain in the country.

To all of you here tonight: take a moment…turn around and look at one another. Look at what you’ve done so far,” he told the crowd. “Poland’s generosity, your willingness to open your hearts and your homes, is extraordinary… In that darkest moment, you, the people of Poland, offered them safety and light…God bless you.”

Biden’s speech came just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was suspending participation in a key arms control treaty with the US and blamed the West for the conflict in Ukraine. Referring to Putin’s statement, Biden addressed the Russian people.

“The United States and nations of Europe do not seek to destroy or control Russia. The West was not plotting to invade Russia, as Putin said today,” said Biden. “This war was never a necessity, it’s a tragedy. President Putin chose this war. Every day this war continues it is his choice.”

“If Russia stopped invading Ukraine it would end the war. If Ukraine stopped defending itself against Russia it would be the end of Ukraine,” he said, adding that the US commitment to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which includes a mutual defence clause, “is rock solid”.

Ahead of the President’s speech, Polish President, Andrzej Duda, also addressed the gathered crowd. He thanked the United States both for its assistance to Ukraine and for its participation in strengthening Poland’s security.

“Today we look at a burning Ukraine…images as if from the Second World War…something that was never supposed to happen again in Europe,” said Duda. “Russia wants to become an empire again, it wants to enslave nations. There is no consent from the free world for this.”

“I call on all European leaders, the NATO alliance to support Ukraine,” he added. “There is no longer any place for business as usual. Where there is bloodshed there is no place for business.”

Ahead of the public event, Biden met with Duda to discuss bilateral cooperation. During the meeting, Duda thanked the US president for his visit to Kyiv a day earlier, reports the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

“This was an extremely spectacular strategic and political move, an extremely important political signal first and foremost for Ukraine, of course,” said Duda, quoted by PAP.

“Poland is safe thanks to the presence of the US army, thanks to the presence of the troops of NATO countries, thanks also to our efforts in strengthening Poland’s defence capabilities,” said Duda, referring to Poland’s recent hike in defence spending.

“The United States needs Poland, just as Poland needs the United States,” said Biden. “Our role in the world goes beyond Europe. We must have security in Europe, that is the fundamental issue and one of the greatest consequence.”

Main photo credit: Marek Borawski/KPRP

Alicja Ptak

Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.