youUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky broke his silence after US President Joe Biden mistakenly called him “President Putin” at the NATO Summit on Thursday.
Zelensky met reporters on Saturday, July 13, shortly after landing at Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland, where he was received by the Irish Taoiseach. [Prime Minister] Simon Harris.
When a journalist asked about Biden’s mistake, Zelensky said: “It’s a mistake. I think the United States was very supportive of the Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so.”
The US is currently providing military support to Ukraine in its war with Russia and President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Since the invasion, the US committed more than $52 billion in security assistance to support “Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russian aggression, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO,” according to the Department of Defense.
Biden’s gaffe involving Zelensky’s name came at a crucial moment in his campaign leading up to November’s presidential election, when some Democrats are calling for him to withdraw. There is growing concern about Biden’s ability to perform against Donald Trump. This situation was worsened by the President’s much criticized performance in the first debate and subsequent stumbles.
See more information: Inside Andriy Yermak’s Quest for Peace in Ukraine
“Now I want to give the floor to the President of Ukraine, who has both courage and determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said at the NATO summit, celebrating the alliance’s 75th anniversary. Audible gasps were heard throughout the room and some people shouted, “Zelensky!” to correct Biden.
Biden then corrected his error. Returning to the microphone, he clarified: “We will defeat President Putin. President Zelensky. I was so focused on defeating Putin.”
Zelensky and Harris’ meeting comes four days after a major children’s hospital in Kiev was hit by a Russian missile.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
