The US Vice President Joe Biden spoke at Brookings on Wednesday, May 27, 2015. He addressed the Russia-Ukraine conflict, underlined its seriousness, described how Putin has pursued aggressive repression inside the Russian Federation, and how the Russian President showed “pure aggression” toward Ukraine.
“Putin’s vision has very little to offer Europe and Russia except for myths and illusions. I believe the terrain is fundamentally in our favor,” said Joe Biden.
The US Vice President underlined that the West had to continue pressing Russia with sanctions, while working with the Europeans to increase military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and continue working with the Ukrainian government on meaningful reforms to decentralize and fight corruption in Ukraine:
“Helping Ukraine in its defense and deterrence against Russian aggression is critical to checking further aggression down the road. The United States’ focus will be on directly addressing the humanitarian tragedy in Ukraine that has been brought on by Russian aggression. So long as Ukraine leaders keep faith with the project of reform, the U.S. will continue to stand with them.”
