Biden: U.S. support for Ukraine is ‘unequivocal and unbending’

On December 21, President Biden welcomed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House and pledged continued U.S. support for the people of Ukraine.

On the 300th day of Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine, Biden commended Zelenskyy’s inspirational leadership and the people of Ukraine’s “unbreakable determination” to choose their destiny.

“The American people have been with you every step of the way, and we will stay with you,” Biden said. “We will stay with you for as long as it takes.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking at lectern, with Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi sitting behind (© Carolyn Kaster/AP Images)
Zelenskyy addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington December 21. (© Carolyn Kaster/AP Images)

The United States and international partners are working to rebuild Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, Biden said, noting that Russia’s military attacks target the country’s heating systems, seeking to turn winter into a weapon of war.

Biden said everyday Americans have provided “unequivocal and unbending support for Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy, speaking in English, said the American and Ukrainian people share “the same values and the same understanding of the life, the sense of the life.”

Noting the importance of international cooperation in promoting global security, he thanked Biden, the U.S. Congress and the American people for supporting Ukraine.

“I know that the American leadership will be strong,” Zelenskyy said. “And the United States will help us to defend our values and independence.”