{"id":139634,"date":"2022-04-21T15:29:45","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T22:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=139634"},"modified":"2022-04-21T15:29:45","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T22:29:45","slug":"president-biden-provides-an-update-on-russia-and-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=139634","title":{"rendered":"President Biden Provides an Update on Russia and Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Good morning, everyone.  Sorry to keep you waiting a little bit.  I had the honor of spending some time with the Ukrainian Prime Minister, who\u2019s in town today.  And he is meeting with some of my Cabinet members, including the Secretary of Treasury and others. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SzUA2iM0LUE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>And we had a \u2014 a good discussion.  I talked about what I\u2019m about to tell you about today, as well as \u2014 he was thanking the American people for their support, understands it\u2019s significant, and was \u2014 we talked about keeping everyone together, in terms of Europe, the European Union, and others, in the effort to stop Putin\u2019s brutality. <\/p>\n<p>But before I head out to the West Coast, I want to quickly update the American people on the latest steps we\u2019re taking to support the people of Ukraine and to hold Putin accountable for his brutal and bloody war. <\/p>\n<p>Russian forces have retreated from Kyiv, leaving behind them a horrifying evidence.  And you\u2019ve seen it and you reported it \u2014 your folks.  And, by the way, I \u2014 I don\u2019t say this often, but I think we should give enormous credit to the folks in your agencies that are on the ground in Ukraine, in these spots.  And they\u2019re \u2014 they\u2019re really \u2014 I\u2019ve spoken to several of them.  It\u2019s a \u2014 we owe them.  But uncovering these evidences of their atrocities and war crimes against the Ukrainian people \u2014 it\u2019s so clear to the whole world now.<\/p>\n<p>Now they\u2019ve launched and refocused their campaign to seize new territory in eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019re in a critical window now of time where that \u2014 they\u2019re going to set the stage for the next phase of this war.<\/p>\n<p>And the United States and our Allies and partners are moving as fast as possible to continue to provide Ukraine the forces that they need \u2014 the weapons they need \u2014 excuse me \u2014 and the equipment they need \u2014 their forces need to defend their nation.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, I signed an $800 million package of security assistance to Ukraine that included new capabilities like artillery systems and armored personnel carriers \u2014 equipment that is responsive to Ukraine\u2019s needs and tailored to support the intensified fighting in the Donbas region, which is a different war than in other places because both \u2014 topographically it\u2019s different.  It\u2019s flat, it\u2019s not in the mountains, and it requires different kinds of weapons to be more effective.  <\/p>\n<p>Today, I\u2019m announcing another $800 million to further augment Ukraine\u2019s ability to fight in the east \u2014 in the Donbas region.<\/p>\n<p>This package includes heavy artillery weapons \u2014 dozens of Howitzers \u2014 and 144,000 rounds of ammunition to go with those Howitzers.  It also includes more tactical drones.<\/p>\n<p>In the past two months, we\u2019ve moved weapons and equipment to Ukraine at record speed.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve sent thousands of anti-armor and anti-[air] missile[s], helicopters, drones, grenade launchers, machine guns, rifles, radar systems. More than 50 million rounds of ammunition had already been sent. <\/p>\n<p>The United States alone has provided 10 anti-armor systems for every one Russian tank that\u2019s in Ukraine \u2014 a 10 to 1 ratio.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re sharing and will continue to share significant, timely intelligence with Ukraine to help defend them against Russian aggression.<\/p>\n<p>And on top of this, these direct contributions from the United States, we\u2019re facilitating; we\u2019re the outfit facilitating the significant flow of weapons and systems to Ukraine from other Allies and partners around the world, like the S-300 long-range, anti-aircraft systems that Slovakia recently transferred to Ukraine.  We are getting them in there. <\/p>\n<p>We won\u2019t always be able to advertise everything we \u2014 that our partners are doing to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom. <\/p>\n<p>But to modernize Teddy Roosevelt\u2019s famous advice: Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large Javelin.  Because we\u2019re sending a lot of those in as well. <\/p>\n<p>You know, but we\u2019re not \u2014 we\u2019re not sitting on the funding that Congress has provided for Ukraine.  We\u2019re sending it directly to the frontlines of freedom, to the fearless and skilled Ukrainian fighters who are standing in the breach.<\/p>\n<p>You got to admit, you have \u2014 must be amazed at the courage of this country, the resolve that they\u2019re showing, not just the milit- \u2014 their military, but the average citizen: men and women, young \u2014 young men, young women as well.  <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s \u2014 you know, the sustained and coordinated support of the international community, led and facilitated by the United States, has a \u2014 is a significant reason why Ukraine is able to stop Russia from taking over their country thus far.  <\/p>\n<p>Every American taxpayer, every member of our Armed Forces can be proud of the fact that our country\u2019s generosity and the skill and service of our military helped arm and repel Russia\u2019s aggression in Ukraine, to beat back Putin\u2019s savagery that tried to seize Ukraine\u2019s capital and wipe out Ukraine\u2019s government.<\/p>\n<p>The Battle of Kyiv was a historic victory for the Ukrainians.  It was a victory for freedom, won by the Ukrainian people with unprecedented assistance by the United States and our Allies and our partners. <\/p>\n<p>Now \u2014 now we have to accelerate that assistance package to help prepare Ukraine for Russia\u2019s offensive that\u2019s going to be more limited in terms of geography, but not in terms of brutality \u2014 not in terms of brutality.   <\/p>\n<p>Combined with our recent drawdowns, it will ensure a steady flow of weapons and equipment into Ukraine over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>However, with this latest disbursement, I\u2019ve almost exhausted the drawdown authority I have that Congress authorized for Ukraine in a bipartisan spending bill last month.<\/p>\n<p>In order to sustain Ukraine for the duration of this fight, next week I\u2019m going to \u2014 have to be sending to Congress a supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption to the brave Ukrainian fighters and to continue to deliver economic assistance to the Ukrainian people.<\/p>\n<p>Hope \u2014 and my hope is and my expectation is Congress would move and act quickly.  And I want to thank the Congress \u2014 Democrats and Republicans \u2014 for their support for the people of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Our unity at home, our unity with our Allies and partners, and our unity with the Ukrainian people is sending an unmistakable message to Putin: He will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine.  He will not \u2014 that will not happen.  <\/p>\n<p>In addition to bolstering Ukraine\u2019s resistance on the battlefield, we\u2019re also demonstrating our support for the people of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the United States is announcing that we intend to provide an additional $500 million in direct economic assistance to the Ukrainian government.<\/p>\n<p>This brings our total economic support for Ukraine to $1 billion in the past two months.<\/p>\n<p>This is money the government can help use to help stabilize their economy, to support communities that have been devastated by the Russian onslaught, and pay the brave workers that continue to provide essential services to the people of Ukraine. <\/p>\n<p>You know, these past weeks have seen a terrible human cost of Putin\u2019s ambition for conquest and control.  Approximately two thirds \u2014 two thirds \u2014 of all Ukrainian children have been displaced from their homes.  More than 5 million Ukrainians have fled their country.  It\u2019s an absolute outrage.  The idea this is happening approaching the second quarter of the 21st century is just \u2014 (sighs).<\/p>\n<p>Last month, when I was in Europe, I announced that the United States would welcome 100,000 Ukrainians so that we share in the responsibility of supporting Ukrainians fleeing Putin\u2019s war machine.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve already welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainians to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>And today, I\u2019m announcing a program, \u201cUnite for Ukraine\u201d \u2014 a new program to enable Ukrainians seeking refuge to come directly from Europe to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>This new humanitarian parole program will complement the existing legal pathways available to Ukrainians, including immigrant visas and refugee processing.<\/p>\n<p>It will provide an expedient channel for secure, legal migration from Europe to the United States for Ukrainians who have a U.S. sponsor, such as a family or an NGO.<\/p>\n<p>This program will be fast.  It will be streamlined.  And it will ensure the United States honors its commitment to go to the Ukrainian people and need not go through our southern border.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re also continuing to ratchet up the pressure on Putin and further isolate Russia on the world stage.<\/p>\n<p>Yesterday, the Treasury Department rolled out additional measures to crack down on the entities and individuals attempting to evade our unprecedented sanctions \u2014 not just ours, but throughout the West.<\/p>\n<p>Today, I\u2019m announcing that the United States will ban Russian-affiliated ships from our ports, as they did in Europe.<\/p>\n<p>That means no ship \u2014 no ship that sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by Russian interests will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores.  None.  None.<\/p>\n<p>This is yet another critical step we\u2019re taking in concert with our partners in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada and \u2014 further to deny Russia the benefits of the international economic system that they so enjoyed in the past.  <\/p>\n<p>We don\u2019t know how long this war will last.  But as we approach the two-month mark, here\u2019s what we do know:<\/p>\n<p>Putin has failed to achieve his grand ambitions on the battlefield.  After weeks of shelling Kyiv, Kyiv still stands.<\/p>\n<p>President Zelenskyy and his democratically elected government still remain in power.<\/p>\n<p>And the Ukrainian armed forces, joined by many brave Ukrainian civilians, have thwarted Russia\u2019s conquest of their country.<\/p>\n<p>They have been bolstered from day one by an unstinting supply of weapons, ammunition, armor, intelligence from the nations of the free world led by us, the United States.<\/p>\n<p>As Russia continues to grind out the military advances and \u2014 their military advances and the brutalities against Ukraine, Putin is banking on us losing interest.  That\u2019s been my view; you\u2019ve heard me say this from the beginning.  He was counting on NATO, the European Union, our allies in Asia cracking, moving away.  He\u2019s betting on Western unity will crack.  He\u2019s still betting on that.<\/p>\n<p>And, once again, we\u2019re going to prove him wrong.  We will not lessen our resolve.  We\u2019re going to continue to stand with the brave and proud people of Ukraine.  We will never fail in our determination to defend freedom and oppose tyranny.  It\u2019s as simple as that.<\/p>\n<p>So, again, I want to thank the American people \u2014 thank the American people for their support of the Ukrainian people.  This is our \u2014 this is our responsibility, it seems to me, and we\u2019ve been able to hold the whole world together in this effort. <\/p>\n<p>So, thank you very much.  Thank you.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I\u2019m going to take just one or two questions.  I\u2019ve got a plane to catch.<\/p>\n<p>Q    What does \u2014 what does Putin claiming control over Mariupol mean?  Is that \u2014 how significant is that?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, it\u2019s questionable whether he does control Mariupol.  One thing for sure we know about Mariupol: He should allow humanitarian corridors to let people on that steel mill and other places that are buried under rubble to get out \u2014 to get out.  That\u2019s what any, any, any head of state would do in such a circumstance.<\/p>\n<p>And so, there is no evidence yet that Mariupol has completely fallen.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, on Title 42, sir, are you considering delaying lifting Title 42?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No.  What I\u2019m considering is continuing to hear from my \u2014 my \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Well, first of all, there\u2019s going to be an appeal by the Justice Department because, as a matter of principle, we want to be able to be in a position where if, in fact, it is strongly concluded by the scientists that we need Title 42, that we be able to do that.<\/p>\n<p>But there has been no decision on extending Title 42.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, how long can the U.S. maintain the level and pace of this military support for Ukraine?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I \u2014 well, we have the capacity to do this for a long time.  The question is: Are we going to continue to maintain the support of the international community and keep the pressure on Putin to prevent him from overrunning the country?  Number one.  And, number two, make sure we continue to maintain the economic sanctions, which, over time \u2014 and we\u2019re beginning to see it \u2014 are devastating their economy and their ability to move forward.<\/p>\n<p>So, the most important thing right now is maintain the unity.  So far, so good.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you very much.<\/p>\n<p>Q    How much money are you going to ask for in the supplemental?  How much money in the supplemental, sir?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  The answer \u2014 that\u2019s being decided now.  And I\u2019m asking the Defense Department to put together what they think we need.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you.<\/p>\n<p>10:14 A.M. EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Good morning, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting a little bit. I had the honor of spending some time with the Ukrainian Prime Minister, who\u2019s in town today. And he is meeting with some of my Cabinet members, including the Secretary of Treasury and others. And we had a \u2014 a good discussion. I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4212022-32720-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=139634"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139634\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":139636,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139634\/revisions\/139636"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/139635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=139634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=139634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=139634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}