Joe Biden says fight for Ukraine echoes struggle for freedom on D-Day | BBC News

Joe Biden says fight for Ukraine echoes struggle for freedom on D-Day | BBC News

the men who fought here became Heroes not because they were the strongest or toughest or were fiercest although they were but because they were given an audacious Mission knowing every one of them knew the probability of dying was real but they did it anyway they knew beyond any doubt there are things that are worth fighting and dying for freedom is worth it democracy is worth it America is worth it the world is worth it then now and always the war in Europe didn’t end for another 11 months but here the tide turned in our favor here we prove the forces of Liberty are stronger than the forces of Conquest here we proved that the ideals of our democracy are stronger than any army or combination of armies in the entire world we prove something else here as well the unbreakable Unity of the Allies here with us are men who served alongside the Americans that day wearing different flags on their arms but fighting with the same courage for the same purpose what the Allies did together 80 years ago far surpassed anything we could have done on our own it was a powerful illustration of how alliances real alliances make us stronger a lesson that I pray we Americans never forget together we won the war we rebuilt Europe including our former enemies was an investment in what became shared and a prosperous future we established NATO the greatest military Alliance in the history of the world and over time you got it it is and over time we brought more Nations into NATO the NATO alliance including the newest members Finland and Sweden today NATO stands at 32 Country Strong and NATO is more united than ever and even more prepared to keep the peace deter aggression defend Freedom all around the world America has invested in our alliances and fors new ones not simply out of altruism but out of our own self-interest as well America’s unique ability to bring countries together is an un undeniable source of our strength and our power isolationism was not the answer 80 years ago and is not the answer today we know the dark Forces that these Heroes fought against 80 years ago they never fade aggression and greed the desire to dominate in control to change borders by force these are perennial the struggle between a dictatorship and freedom is unending here in Europe we see one Stark example Ukraine has been invaded by a tyrant been on domination ukrainians are fighting with extraordinary courage suffering great loss but never backing down they’ve inflicted on the Russian aggression they’ve suffered tremendous losses in Russia the numbers are staging 350,000 Russian troops dead or wounded nearly 1 million people have left Russia because they can no longer see a future in Russia the United States and NATO and a coalition of more than 50 countries standing strong with Ukraine we will not walk away because if we do Ukraine will be subjugated and will not end there Ukraine’s neighbors will be threatened all of Europe will be threatened and make no mistake the autocrats of the world are watching closely to see what happens in Ukraine to see if we let this illegal aggression go unchecked we cannot let that happen to surrender to bullies to bow down to dictators is simply Unthinkable where we to do that it means we’d be forgetting what happened here in these hollowed beaches make no mistake we will not bow down we will not forget let me end with this history tells us freedom is not free if you want to know the price of Freedom come here to Normandy come to Normandy and look go to the other cemeteries in Europe where our fallen heroes rest go back home to Arlington Cemetery tomorrow I will pay respects at point to Hawk go there as well and remember the price of unchecked Charity is the blood of The Young and the brave in their generation in their hour of trial the Allied Forces of dday did their Duty now the question for us is and our hour of trial will we do ours we’re living in a time when democracy is more at risk across the world than they Point since the end of World War II since these beaches were stormed in 194 before now we have to ask ourselves will we stand against tyranny against evil against crushing brutality of the Iron Fist will we stand for Freedom we deband democracy We Stand Together my answer is yes only can be yes we’re not far off from the time from the last Living Voices those who fought and bled on dday will no longer be with us so we have a special obligation we canot let what happened here be lost in the silence for the years to come we must remember it must honor it and live it we must remember the fact that they were Heroes here that day does not absolve us from what we have to do today democracy has never guaranteed every generation must preserve it defend it and fight for it that’s the test of the ages in memory of those who fought here died here literally saved the world here let us be worthy of their sacrifice let us be the generation that when history is written about our time in 10 20 30 50 80 years from now it’ll be said when the moment came we met the moment we stood strong our alliances were made stronger we saved democracy in our time as well thank you very much and may God bless you all may God protect our truths thank you

US President Joe Biden has drawn parallels between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and World War Two, in a speech commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

He described the conflict as being part of an unending struggle between dictatorship and freedom.

On 6 June 1944, tens of thousands of soldiers landed on five beaches in Normandy, northern France.

The largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare played a crucial role in the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Other leaders present at ceremonies on Thursday included French President Emmanuel Macron, King Charles III and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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