President Joe Biden wrapped up his five-day European trip on Thursday after meeting with fellow NATO leaders earlier in the day, pledging to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes."
The NATO conference was highlighted by the alliance extending an invitation to Sweden and Finland to join the group after Turkey dropped its objection. Sweden and Finland were spurred to join the group by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Biden said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin intended to weaken NATO, but by attacking Ukraine, NATO became stronger. The alliance stipulates that members come to each other's defense when attacked.
"At every step of this trip, we set down a marker of unity, determination, and deep capabilities to the democratic nations of the world to do what needs to be done," Biden said. "Putin thought he could break the transatlantic alliance. He tried to weaken us, he expected our resolve to fracture, but he's getting exactly what he did not want. He wanted the Finlandization of NATO. He got the NATOization of Finland. That's what he thought. And now Finland and Sweden are closer than ever, we're more united than ever and with the addition of Finland and Sweden, we'll be -- we're going to increase the NATO border 800 miles along the Russian border."
Although the U.S. has not provided personnel, the Biden administration sent billions of military assets to Ukraine. Biden said following Thursday's meeting that the support would continue. On Thursday, Biden said he intends to announce $800 million in additional military aid to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
Biden’s European trip started in Germany with a gathering of G7 leaders. Much of the focus was on rising oil prices and slowing global inflation. The leaders there agreed to establish a price cap on Russian oil to prevent the nation from profiting off the high cost of oil.
The president will return to the United States Thursday evening.
