Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded after U.S. President Joe Biden mistakenly referred to him as “President Putin” during the NATO Summit on Thursday.
Zelensky addressed reporters on Saturday, July 13, shortly after his arrival at Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland, where he was welcomed by Irish Taoiseach [Prime Minister] Simon Harris.
When asked about Biden’s slip-up, Zelensky said: “It’s a mistake. I think the United States gave a lot of support to Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so.”
The U.S. is currently providing military aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia and President Vladimir Putin, which began in February 2022.
Since the invasion, the U.S. has provided over $43 billion in security assistance to support “Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia’s aggression, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO,” according to the Department of Defense.
Biden’s error regarding Zelensky’s name occurred at a critical moment in his campaign leading up to the November presidential election, as some Democrats express concerns about his age and fitness for office. There is growing anxiety about Biden’s ability to compete against Donald Trump. This apprehension has been amplified by the President’s widely criticized performance at the first debate and subsequent missteps.
“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,” Biden said at the NATO summit, commemorating the alliance’s 75th anniversary. Audible gasps were heard throughout the room, and some people called out, “Zelensky!” to correct Biden.
Biden then corrected his mistake. Returning to the microphone, he clarified: “We’re gonna beat President Putin. President Zelensky. I was so focused on beating Putin.”
Zelensky and Harris’ meeting comes four days after a major Kyiv children’s hospital was struck by a Russian missile attack.