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'If Putin takes Ukraine, he won’t stop there': US president

07.12.2023 07:00
US President Joe Biden has renewed his call on Congress to approve new military aid for Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion, warning that if Vladimir Putin "takes Ukraine, he won't stop there."
US President Joe Biden meets with reporters at the White House on December 6, 2023.
US President Joe Biden meets with reporters at the White House on December 6, 2023.PAP/DPA/Yuri Gripas / Pool via CNP

Biden made the remark in a speech at the White House on Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The US president has been urging lawmakers to pass a USD 106 billion national security package, including USD 61 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, according to news outlets.

The proposal has stalled on Capitol Hill amid growing opposition within the Republican Party to further assistance for Kyiv, the PAP news agency reported.

Biden said on Wednesday that fresh US military aid for Ukraine "cannot wait" and that not providing it would "give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for."

The US president warned: "If Putin takes Ukraine, he won’t stop there."

Biden called on Congress to "stand with the people of Ukraine, stand against the tyranny of Putin, stand for freedom."

US to help Ukraine produce critical weapons domestically

Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian officials on Wednesday signed a statement of intent on strengthening "co-production of critical weapons" in Ukraine, the PAP news agency reported. 

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said it would enable Ukraine to produce arms closer to the battlefield. 

Austin stressed that strengthening Ukraine's arms industry would "help repel Russian forces today and build a future force for Ukraine that can deter Russian aggression in the years to come."

The announcement came at a US-Ukraine Defense Industrial Base Conference in Washington, the PAP news agency reported.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

Thursday is day 652 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, White HouseUS Department of Defense