Biden apologises to Zelensky for months-long hold-up of weapons that let Russia gain
- The apology was a reminder that recalcitrance among congressional Republicans and an isolationist strain in American politics have led to Russian gains
Speaking in Paris, a day after they both attended ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, Biden apologised to the Ukrainian people for the weeks of not knowing if more assistance would come while conservative Republicans in Congress held up a US$61 billion military aid package for Ukraine for six months.
Still, the Democratic president insisted that the American people were standing by Ukraine for the long haul. “We’re still in. Completely. Thoroughly,” he said.
The apology – and Zelensky’s plea for rock-solid support akin to the allied coalition in WWII – served as a reminder that for all of Biden’s talk of an unflagging US commitment to Ukraine, recalcitrance among congressional Republicans and an isolationist strain in American politics has led to Russian gains on the battlefield.