Ukraine dominates Biden’s State of the Union but China is not forgotten

President uses traditional address to Congress to announce ban on Russian airlines flying over US airspace, emphasises Western unity

The one-hour speech contained just a handful of mentions for China, but its presence in the subtext was unmistakable

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US President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers his first State of the Union address. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:33pm, 2 Mar 2022Updated: 1:08pm, 9 Mar 2022

The swift and sweeping international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is proof that liberal democracies are able to deliver over autocracies, US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday, in his first State of the Union address.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack against Ukraine – now entering its seventh day – had been met by a “more unified Europe [and] a more unified West”, he said, highlighting the blitz of economic sanctions unleashed on Moscow.

“In the battle between democracy and autocracies, democracies are rising to the moment, and the world is clearly choosing the side of peace and security.”

Biden used the occasion to announce that the US will follow the European Union and other countries in banning Russian airlines from flying through US airspace.

“Putin is now isolated from the world more than he has ever been,” he said.

Delivered before lawmakers assembled in the House chamber, Biden’s one-hour speech contained just a handful of mentions for China.

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