US President Joe Biden made a 15-minute televised address at about 3:00 a.m. Kyiv time after returning from a trip to Israel. It was devoted mainly to the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine. The head of the White House actually equated Hamas and Vladimir Putin in it. The address was broadcast on White House social media.
According to Biden, who equated Hamas and Putin, both want to destroy a neighboring democratic country, and this is exactly what the United States must prevent, as it is still a great nation and a beacon of freedom and democracy for the world.
"Hamas and Putin pose different kinds of threats, but what they have in common is that they want to completely destroy a neighboring democracy," Biden said.
He added that his administration is preparing to ask Congress on Friday for $100 billion in military aid to allies. Most of this package will go to Ukraine and Israel, with some going to Taiwan and other allies. Biden explained that the adoption of this decision by Congress is necessary, among other things, to ensure that Ukraine receives assistance steadily, without pauses, and that Israel increases its qualitative military advantage over the enemy. He called assistance to partners a "smart investment" that will pay dividends for future generations.
"We will ensure the operation of the Iron Dome, which protects Israel's skies. We will make sure that other hostile forces in the region know that Israel is stronger than ever, and we will prevent the conflict from spreading... It is a wise investment that will pay dividends in the form of security for generations. America's leadership is what holds the world together. Alliances created by America ensure our security, America's security. American values are what make us a partner with whom other countries want to cooperate," Biden said.
According to him, Washington "cannot and will not allow terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin to win". That is why he is asking the US Congress to allocate billions of dollars to help both Israel and Ukraine.
He assured that Washington does not intend to stop providing assistance to Kyiv, as it is a matter of US national security. However, the United States is using the transfer of weapons to Ukraine from warehouses to produce new military equipment for itself.
In addition, the US president emphasized that Israel must abide by the laws of war and protect civilians. He also said that the parties should not abandon the movement toward a peace agreement based on the "two-state" formula - Israeli and Palestinian.
Finally, he noted that Washington does not want the US army to fight the Russian army.
