U.S. President Joe Biden declared on Thursday that Russia's Vladimir Putin has already lost the war in Ukraine, as he held talks in Helsinki, Finland.
Biden expressed hope that a counter-offensive by Ukraine would force Russia to come to the negotiating table.
The statement was made during a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
"Putin's already lost the war.
Putin has a real problem," Biden said.
"There is no possibility of him winning the war in Ukraine." While NATO leaders failed to provide a clear timeline for Ukraine to join the military alliance at this week's summit in Vilnius, Biden pledged that Ukraine would eventually become a member of NATO.
"It's not about whether or not they should or shouldn't join.
It's about when they can join, and they will join NATO," Biden said.
However, Biden cautioned that no country could become a NATO member while it was at war.
He added that if Ukraine joined now, it would mean "a third world war." Moscow's response to the NATO summit came in the form of fresh airstrikes on Ukraine and a new nuclear threat.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Moscow would regard the F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine as a "nuclear" threat because of their capacity to carry atomic bombs.
Biden downplayed the latest nuclear rhetoric from Russia, saying, "I don't think there's any real prospect...
of Putin using nuclear weapons." He added that the West, China, and other countries have warned Russia not to go down that path.
Biden also advised caution to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, a private military company, after the group's failed uprising in Russia.
"God only knows what he's likely to do.
We're not even sure where he is and what relationship he has.
If I were (him), I'd be careful what I ate.
I'd keep my eye on my menu," Biden said.
The U.S. president also expressed seriousness on the prospect of a prisoner exchange for jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan G US President Joe Biden met with the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The leaders issued a joint statement pledging their "unwavering" support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
In a press conference following the talks, Biden emphasized the importance of addressing climate change, which he described as the "only existential threat humanity faces." He also stressed the strength and symbolism of NATO, which he pledged the United States would remain a member of, in response to a question about what would happen if President Trump, who has previously suggested pulling out of the alliance, is re-elected next year.
The NATO summit took place in the same hall as Biden's press conference, and the event was marked by tensions between the US and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the decision not to fast-track Ukraine's membership, describing it as "absurd." In response, G7 nations offered Ukraine a package of long-term security commitments involving bilateral deals between Kyiv and the world's richest nations.
Zelensky praised the promises as a "significant security victory," but also acknowledged that he would have preferred a timetable for Ukraine's membership.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian air forces recently received new Western weapon systems, but they are not sufficient to cover the entire country, according to the spokesman for Ukraine's air forces, Yuriy Ignat.
"We do not have means to destroy ballistic missiles," Ignat told national television on Thursday morning.
Overall, the meeting between Biden and the Nordic leaders highlighted the ongoing challenges facing Ukraine and the need for continued support from the international community.
The statement was made during a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
"Putin's already lost the war.
Putin has a real problem," Biden said.
"There is no possibility of him winning the war in Ukraine." While NATO leaders failed to provide a clear timeline for Ukraine to join the military alliance at this week's summit in Vilnius, Biden pledged that Ukraine would eventually become a member of NATO.
"It's not about whether or not they should or shouldn't join.
It's about when they can join, and they will join NATO," Biden said.
However, Biden cautioned that no country could become a NATO member while it was at war.
He added that if Ukraine joined now, it would mean "a third world war." Moscow's response to the NATO summit came in the form of fresh airstrikes on Ukraine and a new nuclear threat.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Moscow would regard the F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine as a "nuclear" threat because of their capacity to carry atomic bombs.
Biden downplayed the latest nuclear rhetoric from Russia, saying, "I don't think there's any real prospect...
of Putin using nuclear weapons." He added that the West, China, and other countries have warned Russia not to go down that path.
Biden also advised caution to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, a private military company, after the group's failed uprising in Russia.
"God only knows what he's likely to do.
We're not even sure where he is and what relationship he has.
If I were (him), I'd be careful what I ate.
I'd keep my eye on my menu," Biden said.
The U.S. president also expressed seriousness on the prospect of a prisoner exchange for jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan G US President Joe Biden met with the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The leaders issued a joint statement pledging their "unwavering" support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
In a press conference following the talks, Biden emphasized the importance of addressing climate change, which he described as the "only existential threat humanity faces." He also stressed the strength and symbolism of NATO, which he pledged the United States would remain a member of, in response to a question about what would happen if President Trump, who has previously suggested pulling out of the alliance, is re-elected next year.
The NATO summit took place in the same hall as Biden's press conference, and the event was marked by tensions between the US and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the decision not to fast-track Ukraine's membership, describing it as "absurd." In response, G7 nations offered Ukraine a package of long-term security commitments involving bilateral deals between Kyiv and the world's richest nations.
Zelensky praised the promises as a "significant security victory," but also acknowledged that he would have preferred a timetable for Ukraine's membership.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian air forces recently received new Western weapon systems, but they are not sufficient to cover the entire country, according to the spokesman for Ukraine's air forces, Yuriy Ignat.
"We do not have means to destroy ballistic missiles," Ignat told national television on Thursday morning.
Overall, the meeting between Biden and the Nordic leaders highlighted the ongoing challenges facing Ukraine and the need for continued support from the international community.