Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2022

February 25, 2022

Today I met with fellow leaders from our NATO allies to discuss our shared commitment to collective defense and transatlantic security. As President Putin threatens the very foundations of international peace and security, NATO is once again demonstrating that it stands for freedom and democracy.

As I said yesterday, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory. Our commitment to article 5 is ironclad. I have ordered the deployment of additional forces to augment our capabilities in Europe to support our NATO allies. And I strongly welcome the decision to activate NATO's defensive plans and elements of the NATO Response Force to strengthen our collective posture, as well as the commitments by our allies to deploy additional land and air forces to the eastern flank and maritime forces from the High North to the Mediterranean.

We were joined today by our close partners Sweden, Finland, and the European Union.

President Putin has failed in his goal of dividing the West. NATO is as united and resolute as it's ever been, and NATO will maintain its open door to those European states who share our values and who one day may seek to join our alliance. As we navigate this crisis, we pledged to work even more closely together in our defense of freedom and the democratic values that imbue our alliance with purpose and power.

Immediately after the NATO summit, I spoke with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. I commended the brave actions of the Ukrainian people who were fighting to defend their country. I also conveyed ongoing economic, humanitarian, and security support being provided by the United States as well as our continued efforts to rally other countries to provide similar assistance.

NOTE: The statement referred to President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia.

Categories: Statements by the President : North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit and telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine.

Names: Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich; Zelenskiy, Volodymyr.

Subjects: Armed Forces, U.S. : Servicemembers :: Deployment; Foreign policy, U.S. : Democratization; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Russia : President; Russia : Ukraine, airstrikes and invasion; Ukraine : Defense relationship with U.S.; Ukraine : President; Ukraine : Russian airstrikes and invasion.

DCPD Number: DCPD202200112.

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