LVIV, Ukraine — With the war in Ukraine appearing to have reached a critical juncture, President Joe Biden met with his counterpart in neighboring Poland on Saturday, promising to protect the country if Russia spreads its attacks into the eastern flanks of NATO territory.
Mutual defense of North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners “is a sacred obligation,” Biden repeatedly assured President Andrzej Duda as the pair met in Warsaw, crucial “for your freedom and ours.”
Later, Biden got a firsthand glimpse of the war’s toll on Poland. Meeting with Ukrainian refugees near the train station in Warsaw, he said he admired their spirit and resilience and branded Russian President Vladimir Putin a “butcher.” Millions of Ukrainians have fled across Europe or been displaced inside their country since Putin launched the invasion Feb. 24.
