World must stand up to Russia’s ‘naked aggression’, Joe Biden warns

Published

1 year ago

September 19, 2023

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Joe Biden has said the world must stand up to Russia’s “naked aggression” and support the people of Ukraine.

Speaking to the UN General Assembly, he said Moscow alone bears responsibility for the war, stands in the way of peace, and has the power to end the conflict immediately.

The US president urged UN members to continue supporting Ukraine – as failure to do so will allow Russia to brutalise the country without compromise.

Mr Biden said: “If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure? I respectfully suggest the answer is no – we have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter the would-be aggressors of tomorrow.”

He vowed that the US “will continue to stand with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity and freedom”.

The president’s remarks attracted applause from UN delegates – including his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in the audience.

Earlier on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had warned Russia’s invasion “has unleashed a nexus of horror”.

But back in Washington, Mr Biden has faced criticism from Republicans who want the US to spend less money on the war effort – with Donald Trump vowing to seek a quick end to the conflict if he is re-elected in the 2024 presidential election.

Russia’s neighbour launches military action – live updates

‘An existential threat’

In a wide-ranging speech, Mr Biden warned the world is at an “inflection point in history” – and no nation can meet the challenges of today alone.

“Our future is bound to yours,” he said.

One area of focus was climate change – with the US president telling delegates it is “critical” to decelerate the crisis.

“We see it everywhere – record-breaking heatwaves in the US and China, wildfires ravaging North America and southern Europe, a fifth year of drought in the Horn of Africa,” he said.

Mr Biden also pointed to “tragic, tragic” flooding in Libya that has killed thousands of people – and said his heart goes out to those who have been displaced.

“Together, these snapshots tell an urgent story of what awaits us if we fail to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and begin to climate-proof the world,” he added.

The US president went on to say that his administration has treated the climate crisis as an existential threat from the day he took office – “not only for us, but for all of humanity”.

On China and artificial intelligence

Mr Biden also told the UN General Assembly in New York that “AI holds enormous potential and enormous peril” – and the world needs to ensure they are used as “tools of opportunity, not weapons of oppression”.

He added: “The US is working to strengthen rules and policies so AI technologies are safe before they’re released to the public.”

The president said world leaders need to make sure they are governing this technology, rather than the other way around.

And on China, Mr Biden stressed he wants to responsibly manage competition between both countries to prevent tensions from tipping over into conflict.

“We are for derisking, not decoupling with China,” he said. “We will push back on aggression and intimidation and protect the rules of the road. We also stand ready to work together with China where progress hinges on our common efforts.”

US

Day 34: Why Trump really flipped the script on Ukraine

Published

19 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Day 34: Why Trump really flipped the script on Ukraine

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As President Trump claims he is “close” to signing a mining deal with Ukraine, and his secretary of state Marco Rubio talks about a lack of “gratitude” from President Zelenskyy for US military assistance, our US correspondents Mark Stone, Martha Kelner and James Matthews discuss if this is the real reason Trump’s administration appears to have turned its back on Ukraine.

And, why Canada is taking its feud with Donald Trump on to the ice.

You can email James, Mark and Martha on trump100@sky.uk

US

Trump fires top US military officers – including America’s most senior commander

Published

19 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Trump fires top US military officers - including America's most senior commander

Donald Trump has purged top military figures in the Pentagon, including firing America’s most senior commander.

He also pushed out five other admirals and generals in an unprecedented shake-up of US military leadership.

The Pentagon had been bracing for mass firings of civilian staff as well as a dramatic overhaul of its budget and a shift in military deployments.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown – America’s highest-ranking general and only the second black general to serve as chairman – was fired with immediate effect.

The president will also replace the head of the US Navy, a position held by Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead a military service, and the Air Force vice chief of staff, the Pentagon said.

He is also removing the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy and Air Force, critical positions that ensure enforcement of military justice.

The campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks has been condemned by Democrats.

There is nothing apolitical about Trump

By David Blevins, Sky News correspondent

The purge of America’s top military officials, carried out by President Trump and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, is unprecedented, writes Sky News correspondent David Blevins, in Washington.

Their dismissal late on Friday sent shockwaves through the defence establishment and raised concerns about the direction of military leadership.

General Charles Q Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was abruptly removed two years into his four-year term.

America’s most senior military officer comes into office two years into a presidential term, meaning they serve under two presidents.

The role is intended to be apolitical but there is no such thing as non-partisan politics in the Trump playbook.

Brown’s tenure had been marked by a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, putting him at odds with the administration.

Prior to his appointment as defence secretary, Hegseth questioned Brown’s promotion, hinting that it had been influenced by race.

In his book, The War on Warriors, Hegseth wrote: “The military standards, once the hallmark for competency, professionalism, and ‘mission first’ outcomes, have officially been subsumed by woke priorities.”

Supporters of the administration argue the changes are necessary to refocus military priorities in line with the president’s objectives.

But critics contend that such a sweeping overhaul of leadership undermines the apolitical nature of the military and unsettles the rank and file.

Rhode Island’s senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “Firing uniformed officers as a type of political loyalty test… erodes the trust and professionalism that our servicemembers require to achieve their missions.”

Representative Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat, said the firings were “un-American, unpatriotic, and dangerous for our troops and our national security.”

“This is the definition of politicising our military,” he said.

Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “Firing uniformed leaders as a type of political loyalty test, or for reasons relating to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance, erodes the trust and professionalism that our servicemembers require to achieve their missions.”

During the election, Mr Trump spoke of firing “woke” generals and those he saw as responsible for the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Defence secretary and former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth has questioned whether General Brown would have got the job if he were not black.

There is no indication his appointment was not based on merit.

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On Friday, Mr Trump said: “I want to thank General Charles ‘CQ’ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family.”

It’s unclear who Mr Trump will choose to replace the judge advocates. Mr Hegseth previously criticised military lawyers, saying most “spend more time prosecuting our troops than putting away bad guys”.

US

Dozens turn out in support of Luigi Mangione over killing of US healthcare boss Brian Thompson

Published

19 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Dozens turn out in support of Luigi Mangione over killing of US healthcare boss Brian Thompson

Dozens of supporters were outside court as the man accused of fatally shooting the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare made his first appearance.

Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder following the 4 December killing of Brian Thompson, 50, outside a midtown Manhattan hotel.

The 26-year-old is accused of ambushing and shooting the executive as he walked to an investor conference.

Dozens of people who showed up in court to support the suspect including former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning who was jailed for stealing classified diplomatic cables.

Dozens more queued in the hallway.

Mangione is also facing federal charges that could carry the possibility of the death penalty.

The judge set a deadline of 9 April to submit pre-trial motions.

In addition to the New York cases, Mr Mangione also faces charges of forgery, carrying firearms without a licence, and other counts in Pennsylvania, where authorities arrested him at a McDonald’s.

Police say he was in possession of a gun, bullets, multiple fake IDs and a handwritten document that expressed “ill will” towards corporate America.

He is being held in a Brooklyn jail alongside several other high-profile defendants, including music mogul and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, and disgraced crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried.

The killing prompted some to voice their resentment at US health insurers, with Mangione attracting a cult following.

A poll taken in the wake of the shooting showed most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials were partly to blame for the incident.