IRIA News

Global leaders and World War 2 veterans have convened in Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of June 6, 1944. This historic event saw over 150,000 Allied soldiers disembark in the region via sea and air, launching a decisive campaign to liberate France from the grip of Nazi Germany.

U.S. President Joe Biden temporarily stepped away from his presidential campaign to travel to France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. During this visit, he delivered speeches highlighting the strength of the transatlantic alliance and met with European leadership, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Biden visited Normandy in France to honor the U.S. Army Rangers who scaled the cliffs of the coastal town eighty years ago against the Nazi forces. Biden’s speech in Normandy was directed toward the American audience and resonated with the core themes of his reelection campaign back home, which is currently in full swing.

“My fellow Americans, I refuse to believe, I simply refuse to believe, that America’s greatness is a thing of the past,” Biden said in an implicit reference to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.

Biden began his remarks by recounting the harrowing experiences of the 225 Army Rangers from the U.S. military, who stormed the pivotal heights on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day. “All they knew was time was of the essence. They had only 30 minutes, 30 minutes, to eliminate the Nazi guns, guns that hid behind these cliffs, guns that could halt the Allied offensive before it began,” Biden said.

“To surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators, is simply unthinkable,” Biden said. “If we were to do that, it means we’d be forgetting what happened here on these hallowed beaches,” he added as he bridged World War 2 with the modern-day Russia-Ukraine war.

“We will not walk away because if we do Ukraine will be subjugated and it will not end there,” Biden said. “Ukraine’s neighbors will be threatened, all of Europe will be threatened,” he added, describing the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, as a “tyrant bent on domination.”

International event

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenskyy, also attended the international event hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Biden and Macron used the opportunity to revive the call to support Ukraine.

Because the security of all Europe is at stake, France will continue to stand with Ukraine. United and stronger together. pic.twitter.com/aTXUmRFHrQ

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 7, 2024

Macron lauded Ukraine’s president as he paid tribute to his bravery and those in Ukraine who fought for freedom, followed by a standing ovation from the audience, including the 25 heads of state and government who attended the event.

“Thank you to the Ukrainian people for their bravery. We are here and we will not weaken,” Macron said, as guests rose to acknowledge Zelenskyy and French fighter jets roared above in a flypast. “Faced with the return of war on our continent, faced with those who purport to change borders by force to rewrite history, let us be worthy of those who landed here.”

2000 Mirage fighters for Kyiv

French President announced that France would send Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine marking his country’s largest direct military support to Kyiv. Macron added that Ukrainians would undergo training in France for five to six months starting this summer. The initial target has been set to train 4,500 service members.

Russia has already warned that if France sends its military trainers to Ukraine, Moscow will deal with them as a threat during the war. Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov said that French military instructors sent to Ukraine would be a “legitimate target”.

“As for the French instructors, I think they are already on Ukrainian territory,” Lavrov said. “Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces.”

Until now, France had refrained from providing fighter jets to Ukraine, arguing that Kyiv should concentrate on acquiring and training on F-16s, which are more prevalent than the Mirages produced by the French arms manufacturer Dassault.

While in France, Zelenskyy met with French defense manufacturers and addressed France’s National Assembly. He also held discussions with the French and the U.S. president in bilateral meetings.

Biden apologizes to Zelenskyy

During his meeting with the Ukrainian President, Biden expressed regret for the delays in Washington’s aid to Kyiv, underscoring the unwavering commitment of the U.S. to supporting Ukraine. President Biden seized the opportunity to unveil a substantial $225 million aid package aimed at revitalizing Ukraine’s electric grid.

In a resolute stance, Biden reiterated the enduring solidarity of the United States with Ukraine in the face of the Russian incursion. “We’re still in, completely, thoroughly,” he affirmed.

In Paris, I met with @POTUS Joe Biden. We discussed Ukraine's defense capabilities, the battlefield situation, and our preparations to sign a bilateral security agreement.

To ensure effective protection against daily Russian terror, Ukraine must be able to strike military… pic.twitter.com/BiKpE9QzXU

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 7, 2024

Since the onset of the Russian offensive in February 2022, Washington has been a crucial financial ally to Kyiv, furnishing tens of billions of dollars in aid. However, earlier this year, the availability of funds for the Biden administration to assist Ukraine became strained due to a stalemate in Congress over authorizing new aid.

The support for Ukraine encountered skepticism from some right-wing lawmakers, while legislative entanglements further complicated the situation. Attempts were made to tether Ukraine’s aid to various other issues, including assistance to Israel and domestic priorities.

After protracted negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders, a breakthrough emerged in April with the passage of a $61 billion Ukraine funding bill. President Biden promptly signed the legislation into law, marking a significant stride in bolstering assistance to Ukraine. Additionally, the bill allocated $14 billion in military aid to Israel, underscoring the multifaceted nature of US foreign policy commitments.