Joe Biden: The West Does Not Plan To Attack Russia, President Putin Chooses This War

JAKARTA - US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday Ukraine "remains strong" a year after Russia's invasion and Moscow will never defeat it, speaking hours after the Kremlin suspended a nuclear arms control treaty over Western support for Kyiv.

President Biden's remarks, in a speech at the Royal Castle in Warsaw in Poland after an unannounced visit to Ukraine, responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent speech vowing Moscow would achieve its goals in Ukraine and accusing the West of plotting to destroy Russia.

Accusing the United States of having turned the Ukraine war into a global conflict, President Putin said Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty.

He also announced that new strategic systems were ready for combat duty, and threatened to continue nuclear tests.

With the anniversary of an imminent invasion on February 24, President Biden expressed "unwavering" support for Kyiv and a commitment to strengthening NATO's eastern side facing Russia, while rejecting Moscow's suggestion that the West was planning to attack Russia.

"One year ago, the world was preparing for the collapse of Kyiv," President Biden said, launching Reuters February 22.

"I can report: Kyiv stands strong, Kyiv stands proud, stands tall and, most importantly, Kyiv stands free," he continued.

"When President Putin ordered his tanks to go into Ukraine, he thought we were going to roll over. He was wrong," he said,

"The passions of an autocrat cannot be appeased. They must be fought. Autocrats understand only one word: no, no, no. No, you will not take my country," he said.

He made no mention of Russia's START suspension in his speech, but said Washington and its allies were not trying to control or destroy Russia through their solidarity with Kyiv.

"The West is not planning to attack Russia, as Putin said today... This war has never been a necessity. This is a tragedy. President Putin chose this war," said President Biden.

It is known that NATO allies and other backers have sent Ukraine tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons and ammunition, along with promised modern battle tanks. Several parties are considering Kyiv's request to buy fighter jets and long-range missiles.

Russia, on the other hand, suffered three heavy battlefield losses in Ukraine last year, but still controls about a fifth of its neighbor's territory and looks set to continue launching attacks into the east.