US President Joe Biden on Friday revealed the details of his NATO meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. In his statement, published on the whitehouse.gov, the Democrat reaffirmed the alliance’s support to the Eastern European country and slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for his decision to attack Ukraine. 

The Russian forces on Friday closed in on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country. US joined the European Union in sanctioning Putin and Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. 

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Biden said that Putin has threatened the ‘very foundations of international peace and security’ but the NATO ‘is once again demonstrating that it stands for freedom and democracy’. 

“As I said yesterday, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory. Our commitment to Article 5 is ironclad. I have ordered the deployment of additional forces to augment our capabilities in Europe to support our NATO Allies,” he reaffirmed US’ support to allies. 

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The President further added that he welcomes the alliance’s plans to deploy additional land and air forces to the eastern flank and maritime forces from the High North to the Mediterranean.

“We were joined today by our close partners Sweden, Finland, and the European Union. President Putin has failed in his goal of dividing the West. NATO is as united and resolute as it’s ever been, and NATO will maintain its Open Door to those European states who share our values and who one day may seek to join our Alliance,” he said. 

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President Biden added that he spoke to Zelenskyy and has commended ‘the brave actions of the Ukrainian people who were fighting to defend their country’. 

“I also conveyed ongoing economic, humanitarian, and security support being provided by the United States as well as our continued efforts to rally other countries to provide similar assistance,” the statement concluded.