Biden pledges more aid to Ukraine, says Putin will be stopped

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new commitments from the U.S. and several NATO allies to strengthen war-torn Ukraine’s air defenses.

"Today I'm announcing the historic donation of air defense equipment for Ukraine," Biden said in his remarks delivered on the 75th Anniversary of NATO at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. "The United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Italy will provide Ukraine with the equipment for five additional strategic air-defense systems."

In the coming months, the United States and partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of additional tactical air-defense systems, he said.

"In Europe, Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine continues and Putin wants nothing less than Ukraine's total subjugation," Biden said. "To end Ukraine's democracy, destroy Ukraine's culture, and to wipe Ukraine off the map. And we know Putin won't stop at Ukraine. But make no mistake, Ukraine can and will stop Putin."

The announcement comes on the heels of a Monday attack by Russia, whose missiles hit targets across Ukraine ? including a children's hospital ? killing 36 civilians in a daylight attack. At the time, Biden was preparing to welcome NATO leaders to a summit aimed as shoring up the beleaguered nation more than 800 days into Moscow's invasion.

Biden spoke about the progress the coalition of 32 nations has made during his tenure as president. In 2020, the year he was elected, Biden said only nine NATO allies were spending 2% of their GDP on defense. This year, 23 will spend at least 2%.

Monday's barrage was the deadliest air strike in months, officials said, and a pointed message to the Western military alliance.

“They are not collateral damage. They are not the victims of mishap or a misfire," Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine's parliament told USA TODAY. "That was a premeditated and targeted attack on the children's hospital.”

In a joint statement, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said they were committed to providing Ukraine with additional air defense capabilities.

“These five strategic air defense systems will help to protect Ukrainian cities, civilians, and soldiers, and we are coordinating closely with the Ukrainian government so that these systems can be utilized rapidly,” the statement said.

In coming months, the United States and partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of tactical air defense systems, the leaders said. Several allies – including Canada, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom – will continue to play a role in the systems.

“Our message to Moscow and the world is clear: Our support for Ukraine is strong and unwavering,” the leaders said.

Biden ended his speech with a surprise move: He bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to those who made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.

Biden lauded Stoltenberg, a diplomat and former prime minister of Norway, for his decade-long service to NATO and for guiding the alliance through the "most consequential decade for European security since World War II."

"When Vladimir Putin launched his brutal assault on the people of Ukraine, betting that NATO would break, secretary General Stoltenberg proved him wrong," said Biden. "Under his stewardship, NATO has become stronger and more united than ever."

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @SwapnaVenugopal

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden pledges defense equipment to Ukraine, says Putin will be stopped