VISIT: US President Joe Biden visited Helsinki on Thursday, where he held a press conference together with Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto. Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG
HELSINGFORS (VG) US President Joe Biden’s assessment right now is that Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost the war in Ukraine.
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He said this at a press conference in Finland’s capital, after a meeting with Jonas Gahr Støre and the other Nordic heads of state.
– Putin has already lost the war. He cannot continue the war in Ukraine for years, Biden said at the press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, who hosted the meeting.
Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG
The American president was asked whether NATO’s position that Ukraine cannot become a member as long as the war with Russia is ongoing could motivate President Putin to continue the war – in order to block this possible further membership.
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– No one can become a member of NATO while a war is going on. It’s not possible. But that does not prevent future membership. Ukraine will become a member of NATO, replied Biden.
He questioned how Putin will proceed in the conflict, And repeated:
– There is no possibility that he can win the war in Ukraine. He has already lost the war, said the US president.
Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG
Absolute Nato guarantee
He was also asked about many Europeans’ uncertainty about whether the US will really stand by its commitments in NATO, and about what President Biden can do to assure Europe that the US will not weaken these in the coming decades.
– I can absolutely guarantee that it is a non-question. There is overwhelming support from the American people, from Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate. And despite the opposition of some extreme members of one party, the two parties stand together on this, President Biden said.
– No one can guarantee the future. But this is the best assurance anyone can give now, he added.
Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG
When asked again whether there is reason to doubt this assurance, Biden was clearly irritated:
– Let me be clear: I did not say that we can guarantee for the entire future. You cannot be sure that you will be able to reach home now. But what I am saying is that if anything can be said for certain about American foreign policy right now, it is that we will continue to cooperate in NATO, he said.
Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö also wanted to comment on this:
– Through the NATO process, I have met President Biden a number of times, and probably 50 members of Congress. And I perceived a clear message. There is no reason to doubt American foreign policy in the future, said the Finnish president.
Published:
Published: 13.07.23 at 17:19
Updated: 13.07.23 at 17:54
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2023-07-13 15:19:52
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