Ukraine war: What did Putin and Biden say about the war in Ukraine in their speeches?
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The leaders of Russia and the United States of America have both given speeches on the war in Ukraine.
President Putin of Russia used his speech to the Russian parliament to blame countries in the West, which includes Europe and America, for the war.
President Biden who spoke from Poland later in the day denied this and said "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, never".
This week marks a year since the start of the war in Ukraine.
President Putin launched a military attack on Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
The Russian invasion has been met with lots of resistance from Ukrainians.
Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed in the conflict and many Russian soldiers have also died.
Governments around the world, including the UK and the US, have been supporting Ukraine with military aid and financial support.
What did President Putin of Russia say in his speech?
Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia, and has been the country's leader for more than 23 years.
In February 2022 the Russian military invaded Ukraine under his orders.
Almost one year on from that date he has told the Russian parliament why he believes the war is justified.
Putin has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine is part of Russia and that many people want to be part of Russia. In his speech he said Russia would continue protecting people in what he called historically Russian lands.
Who is Vladimir Putin? (From February 2022)
The Ukrainian government said this was false and accused Mr Putin of living in a different reality.
The Russian president also accused the West of trying to make Ukraine into an "anti-Russia". He called Western intervention over the years a "campaign of terror", adding: "I want to repeat it is them who are guilty and culpable for the war, and we are using our force to stop it."
Mr Putin also said Russia was suspending, which means temporarily stopping though not ending, its participation in the New Start nuclear arms treaty.
Signed in 2010 by the then US President Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev who was Russian president at the time, the New Start treaty restricts the number of nuclear weapons both countries can use.
The decision has been branded "rash" by the UK government.
"Arms control is vital to the security of our planet," said a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who urged Putin to reconsider.
What did US President Joe Biden say?
He then travelled to Poland, which is next to Ukraine, where he gave a speech in front of thousands in Warsaw the capital of Poland.
In his speech which followed President Putin's earlier speech in front of the Russian parliament, President Biden said:
"Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, never".
He said a year on from the invasion of Ukraine the world has shown they can stand up for democracy.
The US president gave his speech in front of a crowd in Warsaw the capital of Poland
"Democracy of the world has grown stronger not weaker but the autocrats of the world have got weaker not stronger," he stated.
President Biden also directly replied to President Putin's earlier speech where he blamed the West for the war.
Addressing the Russian people the US president said West was not plotting to attack Russia and that the war was never a necessity, but it is a tragedy.
He said President Putin chose this war, and he could easily end it.
After his speech President Biden was joined on stage by children waving Ukrainian, Polish and American flags.
Speaking from Warsaw the capital of Poland, the US president also praised his audience, the people of Poland, for welcoming over 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees into their communities.
President Biden ended his speech thanking Poland, Ukrainian troops and "all those who defend freedom".
He was then joined on stage by children waving Ukrainian, Polish and American flags.
- Published29 August 2022
- Published22 February 2023
