Biden mistakenly refers to Ukraine’s Zelensky as ‘President Putin’ at NATO summit
After realizing his mistake immediately, Biden said, "President Zelensky, I'm so focused on beating Putin."
US President Joe Biden called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “President Putin” at a recent NATO summit, which is a worrying error. While introducing Zelensky to the crowd, Biden said, “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.” This is when the event happened.
After realizing his mistake immediately, Biden said, “President Zelensky, I’m so focused on beating Putin.” In a joking response, Zelensky declared, “I’m better [than Putin],” to which Biden retorted, “You are a hell of a lot better.”
Viral Video Highlights Interaction with President Putin
This incident’s video clip has received over 15 million views and has gone viral on social media. Online users have expressed amazement and amusement at the confusion surrounding the two presidents’ interaction during the conference.
The language gaffe coincides with doubts about Biden’s mental clarity and requests from some Democratic party members for him to drop out of the next presidential contest. More than fifteen House Democrats, such as Representatives Greg Stanton, Ed Case, and Brad Schneider, have openly called on Biden to resign, and some have even floated Vice President Kamala Harris as a possible successor.
According to recent polls, Biden’s supporters also feel that he needs to think about withdrawing from the race, especially in light of his highly criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump in late June. The mishap at the NATO gathering is the most recent instance to heighten concerns about Biden’s mental capacity and chances of winning the presidency.
The 81-year-old Biden is unwavering in his resolve to run for office again, but the pressure on him and the growing skepticism in his party highlight the difficulties he will confront in winning a second term. After NATO, the president will have a much-awaited press conference where he will be able to address these issues.
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