Biden to champion US diplomacy in State of the Union as West stands up to Putin

President Biden will champion American diplomacy in the face of Russian aggression towards Ukraine in his first State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, according to advance excerpts of the speech provided by the White House.  

“Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson — when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos. They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising,” Biden plans to say in the address to Congress.

“That’s why the NATO Alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War 2. The United States is a member along with 29 other nations,” he will say. “It matters. American diplomacy matters.”

Biden is set to say that Russian President Vladimir Putin miscalculated by assuming that the West and NATO would not respond to an invasion of Ukraine. And he will describe Putin’s war as “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, seeking to strike a unifying note. “Putin was wrong. We were ready.” 

The president’s speech to Congress, scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern, has taken on outsized importance given the conflict in Europe. Ukraine entered its sixth day of battling a Russian military invasion from multiple angles on Tuesday.  

Biden has worked to unite European allies behind crippling economic sanctions on Russian banks that have already shown to have an impact on the nation’s economy, while resisting steps to sanction Russia’s energy industry given Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.  

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which the White House has deemed Putin’s “war of choice,” has consumed the president’s time in recent weeks as he sought to prevent an invasion and, eventually, punish Putin for his decision. 

Biden is expected to address the conflict at length during the speech. But it won’t be the only topic to which he gives attention.  

The president will also acknowledge the pain Americans are feeling from elevated prices during the coronavirus pandemic and lay out a plan to address rising costs and lower the deficit. 

“We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation,” Biden will say, according to the excerpts.

“Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs where you can earn a good living in America. And, instead of relying on foreign supply chains — let’s make it in America,” he will say. 

Biden’s approval rating has suffered as Americans express frustration with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, which hit a 40-year high in 2021. The State of the Union address represents an opportunity for the president to address Americans’ concerns directly.