Biden praises Ukrainians as 'wall of strength' against Russia

US President Joe Biden praised the Ukrainian people as a “wall of strength” against Russia’s military action in their country, in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

“Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But he badly miscalculated,” Biden said. 

“He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people,” he continued.

"From President Zelenskiy to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their courage, their determination, inspires the world,” he said.

Putin announced on Thursday a “special military operation” in Ukraine’s Donbas region to “defend people” subjected to "genocide" there against government forces, stressing that Moscow has “no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory.”

Biden called the Russian action an "unprovoked and unjustified attack," and the American media described it as the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two assault by Russia.

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Biden’s remarks on Tuesday were greeted by a standing ovation of members of Congress waving Ukrainian flags and with the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, sitting in the galley of the House chamber with first lady Jill Biden.

Biden praised Markarova and the resolve of her country’s people as she was warmly embraced by the first lady.

“Let each of us here tonight in this chamber send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world,” Biden said.

“Please rise if you are able and show that, 'Yes, we the United States of America stand with the Ukrainian people,'” Biden added, after which both Democrats and Republicans rose to applaud his support for Ukraine.

Putin ‘has no idea what's coming’

In a deviation from his prepared remarks, Biden said of Putin: "He has no idea what's coming."

Biden claimed Putin had badly miscalculated Ukraine.

Biden accused Putin of ignoring efforts to prevent war.

"Putin's war was premeditated and unprovoked. He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn't respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home," Biden will say. "Putin was wrong. We were ready."

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Biden also announced to ban Russian flights from American airspace.

The Biden administration has already imposed harsh economic and banking sanctions on Russia in response to Russia's military actions in Ukraine.  

Biden said the sanctions would limit Russia's ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds and yen.

Biden claimed that the only other alternative to the sanctions would be to start a “Third World War.”

"You have two options. Start a Third World War; go to war with Russia, physically, or to make sure that the country that acts so contrary to international law ends up paying a price for having done it," Biden sarcastically claimed in an interview on Saturday.

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