News Brief
Biden Refers To Ukraine's Zelenskyy As ‘President Putin’ At NATO Event, Calls Kamala Harris ‘Vice President Trump’ — All About It
US President Joe Biden
Amid growing concerns over his age and fitness to serve another term, US President Joe Biden mistakenly referred to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin" at a NATO event on Thursday (10 July).
During the announcement of the "Ukraine Compact," a new initiative to bolster aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, Biden, joined by 32 allies and foreign leaders, was inviting Zelenskyy to speak when he made the verbal faux pas.
"I want to hand it over to the President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination—please welcome President Putin," Biden said, India Today reported.
The 81-year-old Democrat initially began to walk offstage before realising his error and
The 81-year-old initially began to leave the stage before realising his mistake and returning to correct himself.
"Zelenskyy is gonna beat President Putin," he added.
Zelenskyy responded to the mix-up with humor, saying, "I'm better."
Shortly after, at a solo press conference, Biden mistakenly called his vice president, Kamala Harris, "Vice President Trump" while answering a question.
"Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president [if] I think she's not qualified to be president," Biden said, as top Democrats, including as key figures like Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin watched in silence.
These errors occur at a crucial time for Biden, who faces increasing scrutiny over his age and mental sharpness, especially following a lacklustre debate performance against Donald Trump last month.
The press conference was being seen as a pivotal moment for Biden, with growing calls from both supporters and opponents for him to reconsider his 2024 campaign.
To date, 13 of the 213 House Democrats and one of the Senate's 51 Democrats have publicly urged Biden to withdraw from the race.
More might join if he continues to falter in the days ahead.
