"If we don’t stop Putin’s appetite for power and control in Ukraine, he won’t limit himself just to Ukraine," Biden said in a televised speech on Thursday.
"He’s — Putin has already threated to 'remind' — quote, 'remind' Poland that their western land was a gift from Russia," Biden added, as quoted by the White House.
"One of his top advisors, a former president of Russia, has called Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Russia’s Baltic 'provinces,'" Biden also said in his address, speaking of Putin. "These are all NATO allies."
He told Americans: "For 75 years, NATO has kept peace in Europe and has been the cornerstone of American security. And if Putin attacks a NATO ally, we will defend every inch of NATO which the treaty requires and calls for. We will have something that we do not seek — make it clear: we do not seek — we do not seek to have American troops fighting in Russia or fighting against Russia."
Biden told the nation that America's allies "and, maybe most importantly, our adversaries and competitors" beyond Europe "are watching ... our response in Ukraine as well."
He warned: "And if we walk away and let Putin erase Ukraine’s independence, would-be aggressors around the world would be emboldened to try the same. The risk of conflict and chaos could spread in other parts of the world — in the Indo-Pacific, in the Middle East — especially in the Middle East."
In a major speech in Warsaw in February, Biden said that America and its allies "will not tire" of supporting Ukraine and that "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia."
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Friday is day 604 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, whitehouse.gov