Five hundred days after the beginning of the Russian invasion, President Biden assured that Ukraine is not ready to be part of NATO. Moreover, Ukraine will have to wait until the end of the war for the members of the alliance to consider admitting it to the alliance.
In a conversation with CNN before beginning his European tour, the president also detailed that there are several "requirements" that must be met to join NATO, such as "democratization." He assured, however, that the United States and its allies will continue to support Volodymyr Zelensky's efforts.
In this context, Biden referred to the controversial shipment of cluster bombs to the Ukrainian armed forces. Host Fareed Zakaria reminded him that those are banned by a hundred nations, some even U.S. allies, and that the president's own press secretary said Russia could be committing a war crime if it was using them.
The Democratic leader responded that the Ukrainians were running out of ammunition, specifically 155-milimeter artillery. "They are running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it," the president revealed.
"It took me a while to be convinced to do it," President Biden tells @FareedZakaria about his decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine as its ammunition supply runs low. pic.twitter.com/eQNyYSHn1h
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 7, 2023
The Democrat's last words were widely criticized on social media. Journalist and host of "The Byron York Show," Byron York, opined that Biden's admission shows that sending assistance to Ukraine "is affecting U.S. readiness to defend itself".
In CNN interview, President Biden is not particularly clear but seems to be saying US is sending cluster munitions to Ukraine because we are running out of 155mm artillery ammunition to send them. Seems obvious this is affecting US readiness to defend itself. pic.twitter.com/ofKyZQUx2X
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 9, 2023
"Joe Biden wasn't supposed to say the quiet part out loud: 'We've run out of ammunition,'" wrote political commentator Ian Miles Cheong. "But now that the cat's out of the bag, one must ask whether continued support of Ukraine's military is even feasible as the conflict rages on."
Joe Biden wasn't supposed to say the quiet part out loud: "We've run out of ammunition". But now that the cat's out of the bag, one must ask whether continued support of Ukraine's military is even feasible as the conflict rages on. pic.twitter.com/jddIrHlSM8
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 9, 2023
Some users questioned whether it might not have been better to keep this information secret, since America's enemies "are listening." One of them was Republican commentator and strategist Steve Guest:
Joe Biden broadcasts to the world that the U.S. is low on 155mm shells. Does President Biden not care that our adversaries in communist China are listening?
Official sources responded to Fox News that the reserves Biden spoke of were in excess of those needed for the United States' own defense.
Biden in Europe
The president began his European tour by landing in the United Kingdom. After meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III, Biden will attend a NATO meeting.
The meeting will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday. Among the issues to be discussed is the shipment of ammunition to Ukraine.
