US President Joe Biden has promised to a group of leaders of Eastern European NATO countries that his administration will defend “literally every inch” of the territory of the Atlantic Alliancein a context of growing concern about the possible extension of the conflict in Ukraine and only 48 hours from the first anniversary of the invasion of Russia.

Biden, who visited Kyiv for the first time on Monday, has reiterated Washington’s commitment to the area taking advantage of a meeting in Warsaw attended by the main political leaders of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Romania, as well as the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.

The North American president has insisted that NATO is now “stronger” than a year ago, when the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, ordered the invasion of neighboring Ukraine, and has given as an example of this strength this forum of nine countries that emerged precisely after Moscow took control of Crimea. “As we approach the first anniversary of the invasion, it is even more important that we continue to be together,” he said.

Biden has pointed out that what is known as the eastern flank of the Alliance is “the front line of the collective defense”, to which he has appealed clearly and directly. The region, he added, “knows better than anyone that what is at stake in this conflict is not only Ukrainebut the freedom of democracies”.

In addition, the North American leader has made reference to Article 5 of the NATO treaties, which provides for collective defense in the event that one of the member states of the Alliance is attacked. A commitment that Biden has described as “sacred”. “We will literally defend every inch of NATO, every inch of NATO”, he has stressed. In this regard, he stressed that Washington’s commitment to its partners is “absolutely clear”.

Biden’s visit to Ukraine

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, the first since the beginning of the Russian invasion, which is one year old this Friday. Biden has met in the Ukrainian capital with the president, Volodimir Zelenski, after the two met for the first time on December 21 during a historic visit by the Ukrainian ruler to Washingtonon his first trip abroad since the war began.

An act with which the United States wanted to show its continued support for Ukraine and exhibit an image of joint resistance right on a decisive date: the first anniversary of the war, the result of which to this day is shrouded in complete uncertainty due to the failure of the Russian troops in their primary objective: to overthrow Zelensky and put someone in his place in the presidential palace to reformulate the Ukrainian constitution based on the Moscow doctrines.

In this line, Joe Biden promised Tuesday from Poland that Ukraine will “never” be a victory for Russia and denounced the atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces during the war. “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never!“, the president has affirmed before hundreds of people in the gardens of the old royal castle in Warsaw. “Autocrats only understand one word: no no no. You will not take my country, you will not take away my freedom, you will not take my future,” Biden said in reference to Russia.