Biden Addresses Russia and Inflation, Offers New Tone on COVID-19 Pandemic in First SOTU

President Joe Biden addressed the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, said the United States has “reached a new moment” in the COVID-19 pandemic, and called on Congress to approve piecemeal elements of his stalled agenda to deal with the increasing costs for Americans in his first State of the Union Address on March 1.

Biden led the speech with Russia–Ukraine, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a dictator and condemning Putin’s attack against Ukraine as “premeditated and unprovoked.” He also said multiple times that the United States will stand with the people of Ukraine and vowed to continue sending aid to the country, in addition to the $1 billion that the United States has already sent in direct assistance.