US President warned of the possibility of direct conflict between the US and Russia

Biden said Russia seeks to destroy Ukraine and subjugate its people, and its actions must be stopped. Commenting on the latest missile attack on Ukraine, he said that the “stakes” go far beyond the conflict between the two countries, and again called on Congress to agree on assistance to Kyiv. The US President emphasized that with American weapons, the Ukrainian Armed Forces could withstand such attacks better. The latest massive shelling of Ukraine by Russia shows how high the stakes are in this conflict, which threatens not only Kyiv, but the entire NATO bloc, US President Joe Biden said in his new address. “The stakes in this fight go far beyond the borders of Ukraine. This affects the entire NATO alliance, the security of Europe and the future of transatlantic relations. When dictators and autocrats are allowed to run roughshod in Europe, there is a growing risk that the United States will become directly involved. ... We cannot let Ukraine down. History will judge harshly those who do not answer the call of freedom." In his opinion, the attack on December 29 is “a stark reminder to the world that Putin’s goal is unchanged.” Namely, Biden believes, “the destruction of Ukraine” and “the subjugation of its people.” Biden again stressed that Putin “must be stopped.” In his statement, Biden called the latest attack on Ukraine the largest since the conflict began. During the last strike on Ukraine, 122 missiles were launched, the Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down 87, said Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that from December 23 to 29 it carried out “50 group and one massive strike on Ukraine with precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles.” The agency claimed that it hit military-industrial complex facilities, military airfields, arsenals and warehouses, as well as bases of “units of the Ukrainian armed forces, nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries.” In light of the massive shelling, Biden called on Congress to agree on additional aid to Ukraine. He noted that American defense systems could intercept many Russian drones and missiles. The White House has repeatedly stated that without the allocation of additional funds, money for Ukraine will run out before the end of 2023. On December 27, Washington allocated the latest aid package to Ukraine in 2023 in the amount of $250 million. The United States has not yet agreed on more funds for Kyiv.