Biden Denounces Russia During UN Address

Facts

• On Wednesday, at the UN General Assembly, US Pres. Biden spoke in condemnation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the ongoing war in Ukraine. The American leader claimed that Moscow has 'shamelessly violated the core tenets of the UN Charter.'¹
• Biden also deemed the conflict a 'war chosen by one man.' He argued that no one had threatened Russia and that the Kremlin sought the conflict to 'erase a sovereign state from the map,' highlighting alleged evidence of torture by Russian forces and mass graves in areas formerly occupied by invading military units.²
• The comments came hours after Putin warned that he would use 'all the means' possible to protect Russia's 'territorial integrity,' and on the same day that the Kremlin announced a 'partial mobilization' of Russian citizens in the Ukraine war.³
• In a direct response to Putin's speech, Biden criticized 'irresponsible threats to use nuclear weapons,' stating that a nuclear war can't be won and must be avoided at all costs.⁴
• Biden also denied Moscow's claims that the US has been limiting Russian food and fertilizer exports. He further announced a new $2.9B investment package intended to tackle global food insecurity caused by the war in Ukraine, the COVID pandemic, and climate change.⁵
• The potential enlargement of the 15-member UN Security Council was discussed on Wednesday, with Biden arguing that adding permanent and non-permanent representatives would help to 'better respond to the needs of today's world.'⁶

Sources: ¹NPR Online News, ²Time, ³CNN, ⁴CNBC, ⁵CBS and ⁶FOX News.

Narratives

• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by Tass. The Kremlin is committed to protecting Russia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Western aggressors who have deployed offensive infrastructure near Russian borders, and backed a genocidal neo-Nazi regime established by an armed coup in Ukraine. While the West keeps trying to dominate and destroy Russia, Moscow is fighting to ensure self-determination is respected.
• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Fortune. Russia's actions threaten not only Ukraine but the entire global order - Moscow has been violating its founding principles by carrying out this bloody war. Those seeking imperial ambitions must face dire consequences, and the international community must offer even more support to Ukraine as Russia tries to extinguish its right to exist as a sovereign state.

Predictions