Celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings on the Normandy coast are taking place without Russia, but with Ukraine. Vladimir Zelensky noted: “The allies defended the freedom of Europe then, Ukrainians defend the freedom of Europe now.”
Biden called for solidarity with Ukraine in Normandy, tells euronews. President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, together with 25 heads of state and government, took part in the celebrations.
According to ceremony organizers, his presence in Normandy alongside world leaders who support Ukraine's fight against Russian invasion will “inevitably connect the terrible past of World War II with the tense present.” US President Joe Biden, speaking at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, said:
“We will not give up on Ukraine, bowing to dictators is simply unthinkable. If we did that, it would mean that we have forgotten what happened here on these beaches.”
His words were the Democratic president's commentary on how U.S. commitments around the world hang in the balance ahead of the White House election. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has said he will not defend European allies that “spend waste” on their own security.
“The United States, NATO and a coalition of more than 50 countries stand firmly on Ukraine's side. We will not back down, because if we do, Ukraine will be enslaved. But it won't end there: Ukraine's neighbors will be threatened, “All of Europe. Make no mistake: autocrats around the world are closely watching what is happening in Ukraine to see if we will leave this illegal aggression unanswered. We cannot allow this to happen. Surrendering to hooligans, bowing to dictators is simply unthinkable.”
At a ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer, the French President awarded 11 American World War II veterans the Legion of Honor. Those who received France's highest award are already between 98 and 104 years old. Macron kissed each veteran on both cheeks before presenting them with a medal.
Among the recipients was Gilbert Margol, who served in an artillery battalion operating in eastern France and was part of the American forces that liberated the Dachau concentration camp. Other honorees included Robert Pedigo, an air weapons technician, and Richard Stewart, a communications technician.
The Normandy landings were the largest amphibious assault in history, and Joe Biden called it “a powerful illustration of how alliances, real alliances, make us stronger.”
The possibility of Trump returning to the White House has many European leaders fearing that transatlantic unity could falter or even break apart. Before the ceremony, Biden and first lady Jill Biden met with more than two dozen American veterans near Omaha Beach, where some of the heaviest fighting took place on D-Day. Those who could stand were helped out of their wheelchairs to pose for photographs. Most of them shook Biden's hands or saluted, and one hugged him. Biden told the veteran: “You saved the world.”
More Stories
111-year-old hermit spent 100 years in a cave (video)
The court ruled: all EU countries are required to recognize gender reassignment
Nefteyuan vs. petrodollar: a new order in the oil market