US President Joe Biden delivered a speech in Poland’s capital of Warsaw on Tuesday, February 21 – a day after his visit to Kyiv – almost one year since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.The president lauded the cooperation between the United States, Poland, and other European countries that have supported Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against the Kremlin’s forces.Biden said Russians had “committed depravities — crimes against humanity — without shame or compunction” during their invasion of Ukraine. “They’ve targeted civilians with death and destruction; used rape as a weapon of war; stolen Ukrainian children in an attempt to steal Ukraine’s future; bombed train stations, maternity hospitals, schools, and orphanages,” said Biden. “But extraordinary, as well, has been the response of the Ukrainian people and the world,” he continued. “Ukraine is still independent and free,” Biden said, garnering applause and cheers from the audience.Biden described the dearth of support among the international community for Russia and, addressing Russians directly, said the West was not threatening Russia.“The United States and nations of Europe do not seek to control or destroy Russia; The West is not plotting to attack Russia, as Putin said today; and millions of Russians, who only want to live in peace with their neighbors, are not the enemy,” the president said. “This war was never a necessity – it’s a tragedy,” he said. “If Russia stopped invading Ukraine, it would end the war. If Ukraine stopped defending itself against Russia, it would be the end of Ukraine.”Warning against complacency, Biden said, “The defense of freedom is not the work of a day, or of a year — it’s always difficult; it’s always important,” and looked forward to hosting a summit of NATO members in 2024 to mark the 75th anniversary of what he called “the strongest defensive alliance in the history of the world.”Biden ended his speech with a message of thanks to the Polish people: “Thank you, Poland. Thank you, thank you, thank you for what you’re doing.” Credit: The White House via Storyful