Zelenskyy Defends Biden’s Slip-Up Amid NATO Conference Drama

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended US President Joe Biden, who mistakenly referred to Zelenskyy as 'President Putin' at a NATO event. Despite the error drawing international scrutiny, Zelenskyy called it a 'mistake' and emphasized the US's substantial support for Ukraine.

At a NATO event on Thursday, US President Joe Biden erroneously referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as 'President Putin,' before promptly correcting himself, CNN reports. Zelenskyy has since stepped forward to defend Biden, describing the slip-up as a 'mistake' and highlighting the strong US support for Ukraine.

This gaffe, however, has drawn international attention, with Russian state media seizing the opportunity to criticize the NATO alliance, branding the incident a 'farce.' Biden, who faces mounting pressure regarding his fitness for another term, downplayed the slip during a subsequent high-stakes news conference.

In a statement at Ireland's Shannon Airport on Saturday, Zelenskyy addressed the incident, saying, 'It was a mistake. I think the United States has given a lot of support for Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so,' reported CNN.

During his speech at the NATO event, Biden had emphasized the courage and determination of Zelenskyy before the unfortunate name mix-up. 'Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,' he said, quickly correcting himself to 'President Zelenskyy.'

The verbal errors continued, as Biden later confused Vice President Kamala Harris with former President Donald Trump, responding to a question about Harris' potential candidacy against Trump by saying, 'I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President. But, I think she's not qualified to be President.'

Biden's frequent gaffes come as he faces criticism over his age and capabilities. Despite such scrutiny, Biden has affirmed his commitment to running through the November election. Meanwhile, the US continues to bolster Ukraine's military efforts against Russia, recently announcing a $2.3 billion aid package along with an additional $2.2 billion for arms purchases under the USAI.

In addition, the US and Ukraine recently signed a bilateral security treaty, promising continued training and arms assistance to Ukraine and strengthening Kyiv's prospects for NATO membership, which Zelenskyy praised as 'a bridge to Ukraine's membership in NATO.'