Joe Biden says Putin and Hamas both want to 'annihilate' neighbouring democracies
US President Joe Biden condemned the actions of Hamas and Russian President Vladimir Putin in his Oval Office address Thursday night, saying the attacks on Israel and the invasion of Ukraine share common motivations, CNN reports.
"Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: they both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy, completely annihilate it," Biden said.
"I know these conflicts can seem far away, and it's natural to ask why does this matter to America," Biden said. "So let me share with you why making sure Israel and Ukraine succeed is vital for America's national security."
Biden said "history has taught us that when terrorists don't pay a price for their terror, when dictators don't pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction."
The president went on to argue that if the US doesn't help "stop Putin's appetite for power and control in Ukraine," he won't stop at the invasion, going on to other conquests in Poland or in Baltic nations.
And on the conflict with Hamas, supporting Israel is part of the US goal to "build a better future for the Middle East," he said. By holding the group accountable for terror attacks, Biden says the US can help prevent future conflicts from boiling over in the region.
"American alliances are what keep us, America, safe," Biden said. "American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel — it's just not worth it."
