PRESIDENT Joe Biden has blasted Putin for “pumping out lies” after Russia “sought conflict” with the “brutal, needless” Ukraine war.
The president’s remarks during his United Nations General Assembly address came just hours after Putin threatened to nuke the West in a chilling address on Wednesday.
The deranged Russian leader said he would use “all the means at our disposal” against the West, which he falsely accused of committing “nuclear blackmail”.
Now, President Biden has called out Putin in front of the UN.
“In the last year our world has experienced great upheaval, growing crisis and food insecurity, record heat, floods and droughts COVID-19 inflation and a brutal needless war,” Biden said.
“War chosen by one man to be very blunt, to speak plainly. A permanent member of the United Nations Security Council invaded his neighbor, attempted to erase the sovereign state from the map. Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenants of the United Nations Charter.”
He went on to directly point out flaws in Putin’s speech, saying: “Putin claims he had to act because Russia was threatened. But no one threatened Russia. And no one other than Russia sought conflict.”
“This war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist,” Biden said, adding that that fact “should make your blood run cold.”
Later in his comments, the president additionally blamed Russia for spreading more “lies” in regards to the continuous food uncertainty emergency happening around the world.
“Russia, in the meantime, is pumping out lies trying to pin the blame for the crisis, the food crisis, on the sanctions imposed by many in the world for the aggression against Ukraine,” he said.
Biden noted that the sanctions imposed against Putin, the Kremlin and the Russian government allowed for exceptions for food and fertilizer.
“It’s Russia’s war that is worsening food insecurity,” Biden stated.
While Biden continued to take several hits against Russia, saying the war against Ukraine “riles the global economy,” he likewise utilized Wednesday discourse to resolve a few other worldwide issues.
Most notably, the president spoke on the ever-growing tensions with China, emphasizing that the US does “not seek conflict.”
“Let me be direct about the competition between the United States and China. As we manage shifting geopolitical trends, the United States will conduct itself as a reasonable leader,” Biden said.
“We do not seek conflict. We do not seek a Cold War. We do not ask any nation choose between the United States or any other partner.”
He added: “But the United States will be on a bastion promoting our vision of a free, open, secure and prosperous world.”
Biden additionally turned his consideration toward Iran and the expanded nuclear worries in the region.
“Let me also urge every nation to recommit to strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime through diplomacy no matter what else is happening in the world,” he said.
“The United States is ready to pursue critical armed control measures. A nuclear war can not be one and must never be fought.”
