A member of the Ukraine’s parliament blasted President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address as a ‘total disappointment’ and criticized the international community for failing to protect Ukrainians.
‘To be honest, it was a total disappointment,’ Oleksandra Ustinova told NBC’s Today Show of Biden’s speech on Wednesday morning. ‘Today the whole world is watching Ukrainians being executed.’
Biden kicked off his address to the nation with a 12-minute discussion on the sitatuation in the Ukraine. He vowed to go after Putin, praised the Ukrainian people for their resistance to Russia, and asked members of Congress to stand in a show of support for the Ukraine.
As part of the administration’s show of support, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova sat in Jill Biden’s box during the president’s remarks, a guest of the White House.
And several members of Congress wore blue and yellow scarves or pins – the colors of Ukraine’s flag – to show support for Ukraine.
Oleksandra Ustinova, a member of the Ukraine’s parliament, blasted President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address as a ‘total disappointment’
The scene of a fire at the Economy Department building of Karazin Kharkiv National University, allegedly hit during recent shelling by Russia
During the State of the Union address, many lawmakers wore bright yellow and blue to show their solidarity with Ukraine. Pictured Center: Ukrainian-born Representative Victoria Spartz speaks with Steve Scalise (left) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (right)
But Ustinova heavily criticized Biden in her interview with NBC, arguing the U.S. and the international community failed to live up to its promise to protect Ukraine, particularly after the country gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for such support.
‘We see children dying every day on the streets and in their houses and they didn’t make it to the bomb shelter. We see bombs come into the orphanages, to the schools. And we had been promised a protection by the international community. We gave up our nuclear weapons,’ Usinova said.
At least 136 people, including 13 children, have been killed during the Russian invasion of the Ukraine and another 400 civilians have been injured, according to the United Nations, but the real death toll is likely much higher and expected to grow even more as Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of backing down from his invasion.
‘And today when I see President Biden saying that we are going to protect every inch of NATO territory, excuse me. You have been promised the same thing when we gave up our nuclear weapons,’ she added.
After the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, Ukraine held about one third of the Soviet nuclear arsenal, the third largest in the world at the time. In 1994 Ukraine agreed to destroy the weapons but wanted security guarantees in return.
To faciliate Ukraine’s disarmament, Russia, Ukraine, Britain, and the United States signed the Budapest Memorandum, which promised that none of the nations would use force or threats against Ukraine.
The agreement also notes that if aggression took place, the nations would seek immediate action from the United Nations Security Council to aid Ukraine.
But the memo is not as legally binding as a treaty, which would have required ratification by the U.S. Senate.
Ustinova said she ‘was not asking for troops’ or U.S. boots on the ground but a no-fly zone enforced over Ukraine.
‘What is the red line that Putin has to cross for the NATO and the U.S. to step in? We’re not asking for boots on the ground. We’re asking for the iron dome or a no fly zone. We need the protection of the sky so the bombs and missiles do not hit our children,’ she said.
The White House has ruled out a no-fly zone, arguing it would need it be reinforced by the American military and U.S. plans would have to shoot down Russian air craft that violated the zone – a move that would escalate tensions and possibly lead to war.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki a no-fly zone is ‘not a good idea,’ adding that Biden does not want to risk putting the United States military in conflict with Russia.
‘What that’d require is implementation by the U.S. military,’ Psaki said. ‘It would essentially mean the U.S. military would be shooting down planes, Russian planes. That is definitely escalatory.’
Oleksandra Ustinova, a member of the Ukraine’s parliament, called for a no-fly zone to be put in place above Ukraine
President Joe Biden spent the first 12 minutes of his State of the Union address talking about the situation in the Ukraine
First Lady Jill Biden (right) hugged Ukrainian Amb. Oksana Markarova (left) as President Joe Biden asked his audience to rise in support of the Ukrainian people during Tuesday night’s State of the Union address
The United States and its European allies have, instead, levied heavy economic sanctions on Putin, his wealthy friends, his powerful inner circle and Russia’s top banks.
But Ustinova also argued the sanctions imposed on Putin and Russia aren’t enough.
‘Sanctions is a long-term tool that will bring the economy down. If we need it fast, we need basic protection of the sky now. And again if we want to do sanctions, those have to be real sanctions with no exemptions,’ she said.
Ustinova’s comments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for more help as a 40-mile Russian convoy of tanks, armored vehicles and towed artillery continues to edge towards Kyiv.
Meanwhile, key cities in Ukraine are being attacked from all sides with Kyiv, the second-largest city Kharkiv, and the southern city of Kherson being battered.
In his speech on Tuesday night, Biden vowed that Putin would ‘pay a price’ for invading Ukraine.
‘Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundations of the free world, thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways,’ Biden said. ‘But he badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined. He met the Ukrainian people.’
He also acknowledged Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador who received a standing ovation from lawmakers and a hug from Jill Biden.
‘Historic honor to accept rounds of applauds at US President’s #SOTU,’ she Markarova tweeted after the remarks. ‘I am deeply grateful to @POTUS, @FLOTUS and all Americans for strong support. Ukraine stood up to evil and the whole civilized world needs to #StopPutin now.’
