U.S. President Joe Biden accused Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday of having a "cowardly appetite for land and power," and pledged that the resolve of NATO, led by the United States, would not wane in supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. At the conclusion of a NATO leaders' meeting in Lithuania, Biden praised the people of Lithuania, which was formerly occupied by the Soviet Union, and commended Finland's accession to the alliance and Sweden's impending membership.
Biden stated, "Putin has severely underestimated the resolve of the military alliance." He assured thousands of people at Vilnius University, "NATO is stronger than ever in its history." Biden added, "When Putin unleashed his cowardly appetite for land and power in his brutal war on Ukraine, he bet that the alliance would divide. He thought NATO would collapse. He believed our unity would shatter at the first test. He thought democratic leaders would be weak, but he was wrong."
Four NATO diplomats involved in the discussions noted that, despite the positive messaging, U.S. officials faced difficulties with their counterparts in Vilnius in reaching a consensus on how to end the war and what guarantees should be offered to Ukraine regarding its future in the military alliance.
