According to Reuters, US President Joe Biden on Thursday
mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as Russian
President Vladimir Putin before correcting himself at the NATO summit in
Washington.
"And
now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage
as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin," Biden
said, referring to Zelenskiy.
While
correcting himself about two seconds later, Biden added: "President Putin,
you're going to beat President Putin, President Zelenskiy. I am so focused on
beating Putin."
The room at the summit gasped when Biden misidentified
Zelenskiy as Putin. The comments came at an event in the summit during which
Biden launched an initiative with allies aimed at supporting Ukraine's security
needs.
Zelenskiy responded to Biden's comments by saying, "I
am better than Putin."
Biden replied: "You are a hell of a lot better,"
as some in the room laughed, before Zelenskiy began his own address.
Biden has been under intense scrutiny in recent
days and has faced doubts, including from members and donors of his own
Democratic Party, about his re-election chances after a weak and faltering
performance in a debate late last month against Republican former
President Donald Trump.
Biden has thus far vowed to push on with his re-election bid
and refused to step aside as his party's presidential candidate, while claiming
he is best positioned to beat Trump in the November elections.
German
Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended Biden on Thursday after the president's
mistake. Scholz said, "Slips of tongue happen, and if you always monitor
everyone, you will find enough of them."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a press conference
of his own, repeatedly avoided answering the question as to whether Biden was
fit enough to run for the US presidency. He instead praised Biden's role in
organizing and leading what he said was a successful meeting of the NATO
alliance.
Later on Thursday, Biden held a solo press conference at
the NATO summit, his first time facing press alone since November, in which he
was asked about his gaffe. He responded by saying the NATO summit was successful
under his leadership.
"Have you seen a more successful conference?"
Biden said to reporters when asked about potential concerns among foreign
officials about his fitness for re-election.
At the
summit in Washington, NATO members have extended support to Ukraine to
combat the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. The United States has
been Ukraine's most important partner in military assistance during the war.
Earlier in the day, ahead of a bilateral meeting, Biden told
Zelenskiy, "We will stay with you”.
