Biden: Support for Israel and Ukraine is vital for American security

(Patria) - US President Joe Biden called on the United States to show global leadership by supporting Israel and Ukraine, saying in a speech from the Oval Office that the defeat of Hamas and Russia is a vital American interest, AFP reported.

Biden (80) said he would send an "urgent" request to Congress on Friday for funding to aid Ukraine and Israel, arguing it is an investment in the future of the United States on the world stage for decades to come. "American leadership is what holds the world together," Biden said.

Hamas and Russian President Vladimir Putin "pose different threats, but this is what they have in common – they want to completely destroy a neighboring democracy," he added. "We cannot and will not allow terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin to win. I refuse to allow that to happen."

His fifteen-minute speech was a call for Americans to overcome deep political divisions and unite behind support in conflicts he said pose a critical threat to the US, even though they are oceans away.

"We cannot let petty, partisan, angry politics get in the way of our responsibility as a great nation," Biden said. "America is a beacon to the world. Still, still," he said.

Biden also called for an end to the rise of both antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice in the United States, particularly after the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy in a hate crime linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

"To all of you who are hurting, I want you to know, I see you," he said. "You are all Americans."
He stated that the White House is submitting a large request to Congress for a package of more than $100 billion. The package includes $60 billion for weapons for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.

It also includes $7 billion in security assistance for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region to counter threats from China, $14 billion for security on the US southern border with Mexico, and $10 billion in humanitarian aid for conflict zones, it is stated.

He said it is a "smart investment that will pay dividends for American security for generations to come."

Just before the speech, Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he visited on a secret trip to Kyiv in February. Zelensky welcomed the recent delivery of ATACMS long-range missiles from the United States.

In his speech, Biden again targeted Russia's Putin, warning that "if we do not stop Putin's appetite for power and control in Ukraine, he will not stop at Ukraine."