'Kyiv Stands Strong': Biden Delivers Remarks After Visiting Ukraine

One of our great allies, President Duda, Prime Minister, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Mayor, to all the former ministers and presidents, as well as mayors and Polish political leaders from all across the country. Thank you for welcoming back to Poland. You know, it was nearly one year ago, nearly one year ago I spoke at the Royal Castle here at Warsaw just weeks after Vladimir Putin had unleashed his murderous assault on Ukraine. The largest land war in Europe since World War II had begun. And the principles that have been the cornerstone of peace, prosperity, and stability on this planet for more than 75 years were at risk of being shattered.

One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kiev. Well, I've just come from a visit to Kiev, and I can report, Kiev stands strong. Kiev stands proud. It stands tall. And most important, it stands free. When Russia invaded, it wasn't just Ukraine being tested. The whole world faced a test for the ages.

Europe was being tested. America was being tested. NATO was being tested. All democracies are being tested. And the questions we faced were as simple as they were profound. Would we respond? Or would we look the other way? Would we be strong? Or would we be weak? Would we be the, all of our allies, would we be united or divided? One year later, we know the answer. We did respond.

We would be strong. We would be united. And the world would not look the other way. We also faced fundamental questions about the commitment to the most basic of principles. Would we stand up for the sovereignty of nations? Would we stand up for the right of people to live free from naked aggression? Would we stand up for democracy? One year later, we know the answers. Yes, we would stand up for sovereignty, and we did. Yes, we would stand up for the right of people to live free from aggression, and we did.

And we would stand up for democracy, and we did. And yesterday, I had the honor to stand with President Zelensky in Kiev to declare that we will keep standing up for these same things, no matter what. When President Putin ordered his tanks to roll in Ukraine, he thought we would roll over. He was wrong.