Joe Biden seeks to quell domestic fears over his fitness for office with NATO address to global leaders

Joe Biden sought to quell domesticconcerns over his fitness for office on the world stage on Tuesday as he touted the strength of the NATO alliance and announced new steps to bolster Ukraine against Russian attacks, continuing his signature foreign policy achievement at a moment of crisis for his administration and re-election campaign.

75 years after 12 countries came together in Washington to sign a historic mutual defense pact in the wake of the Second World War, the president touted the alliance’s progress before leaders representing the 32 treaty signatories at the annual NATO leaders’ summit.

Speaking before an audience of NATO leaders, including newly-minted British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Biden said the North Atlantic Treaty, that the alliance birthed 75 years ago, is stronger and more vital than ever and promised it would continue to support Ukraine’s defense needs.

“We know Putin won’t stop at Ukraine, but make no mistake, Ukraine can and will stop Putin,” he said. The US and partner nations intend to provide Ukraine with five “strategic air defense systems” in the coming months and “dozens” of “tactical air defense systems”, Biden added.

Biden spoke from the historic Mellon Auditorium, where representatives of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and US signed on to the Washington Treaty.

He said the now-32 member alliance is “more powerful than ever” with the recent additions of Sweden and Finland and touted its’ work in strengthening Ukraine against Russia’s invading forces.

Sweden and Finland — both longtime practitioners of neutrality — had joined “not just because their leaders sought it, because their citizens called for it in