‘Putin’s war was premeditated and unprovoked,’ Biden to say in State of the Union address – live

[ad_1]

5.42pm EST

17:42

In his State of the Union speech tonight, Joe Biden will also outline his administration’s strategy for tackling rising prices, as US inflation hits a 40-year high.

“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 in his speech, according to excerpts provided by the White House.

“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.”

Biden will advertise his strategy as “building a better America,” telling the country, “My plan to fight inflation will lower your costs and lower the deficit.”

That last point may catch the attention of Joe Manchin, who has criticized Biden’s Build Back Better Act because of its potential impact on the federal deficit. The $1.75tn spending package has stalled in the Senate because of Manchin’s opposition.

5.32pm EST

17:32

‘Putin’s war was premeditated and unprovoked,’ Biden will say in State of the Union

Joe Biden will sharply condemn Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in his State of the Union speech tonight, according to excerpts provided by the White House.

“Putin’s war was 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 is expected to say.

“Putin was wrong. We were ready.”

The president will also outline the reasoning of the US and its allies for imposing severe sanctions on Russia and Putin personally, arguing such measures are necessary to deter future violence.

“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 will say.

“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. …

“It matters. American diplomacy matters.”

Biden’s speech comes as Russian forces have escalated their rocket strikes on major Ukrainian cities, including the capital of Kyiv. At least five people were killed in Kyiv today after Russian missiles hit a TV tower.

Updated
at 5.32pm EST

5.32pm EST

17:32

Lauren Gambino

Finalized between situation room meetings and calls with allies, Joe Biden will attempt to deliver an address that balances the Ukraine crisis with domestic challenges that polling shows are most important to American voters, such as the economy, inflation and a stalled domestic agenda.

The speech, and all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds it, arrives as Biden’s approval rating falls to new lows, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. Just 37% said they approved of the job he was doing, with a majority of independents rating him negatively.

Underscoring the headwinds facing Democrats ahead of the midterm elections, 50% of Americans said they wanted Republicans in charge of Congress. Just 40% preferred Democrats to remain in control.

In a preview of the speech, White House officials said Biden would tout his administration’s progress on the pandemic, the economic recovery and a pair of early legislative successes: a $1.9tn stimulus package and the bipartisan infrastructure law.

They said Biden would acknowledge the financial hardships facing many American families, while attempting to shift the narrative around the country’s economic trajectory from one of pessimism to progress.

Unprecedented price hikes put the squeeze on Iranian tenants | Economy News

Finland’s main parties back suspension of tourist visas for Russians : worldnews

Rising costs may halt Brazil’s credit deconcentration process

5.32pm EST

17:32

Lauren Gambino

Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address on Tuesday before a bitterly divided Congress, seeking to inspire a pandemic-weary nation deeply unhappy with its leaders and government, while projecting strength to the world after Russia unleashed the largest land war in Europe since the second world war.

The prime-time address comes at a precarious moment for Biden and the world. Speaking in the House chamber, Biden will interrupt harrowing coverage of combat in a European capital, as evidence builds that Russian attacks are striking civilian areas and Russian president Vladimir Putin threatens nuclear war.

From his bunker in Kyiv, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, urged Biden to make the State of the Union speech a “useful” act for the besieged country. Ukraine has been urging the west to impose a “no-fly zone” over “significant parts” of the country, which Nato has refused for fear of being dragged into direct war with Russia.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, will watch the speech as a guest of the First Lady, Jill Biden, sitting alongside her in her viewing box.

It is a starkly different backdrop than White House officials had anticipated when they began drafting the speech, which typically draws millions of viewers.

“There’s no question that this speech is a little different than it would have been just a few months ago,” White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, told reporters on Monday.

5.32pm EST

17:32

Biden to deliver first State of the Union as multiple crises loom

Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.

Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address tonight, as he faces crises on multiple fronts and tries to send a message of optimism about America’s future.

Biden’s speech comes as Russian forces continue to launch rocket strikes on major Ukrainian cities, endangering the lives of civilians. Earlier today, a TV tower in Kyiv was hit by Russian missiles, killing at least five people.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is bracing for the potential impact that the Ukraine crisis could have on gas prices. The US and its allies announced today that the International Energy Agency will release 60 million barrels of crude oil from their strategic petroleum reserves to try to lower gas prices.

Americans were already complaining of rising prices, as US inflation hit a 40-year high in January, and now the White House has to worry about gas costs increasing even more.

Despite all of those concerns, Biden is expected to use his State of the Union address to express hope about the direction of the country and its economy.

“The American people will hear a lot about how he’s going to lower their costs, how he’s going to continue to build a strong economy over the long term,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said yesterday.

The State of the Union is scheduled to get underway at 9pm ET, so stay tuned.

[ad_2]

Source link