It’s Tuesday…
President Biden’s public schedule for 07/09/2024:
| 10:00 AM Official Schedule | The President receives the President’s Daily Brief Closed Press |
| 1:00 PM | Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre |
| 4:25 PM Official Schedule | The President departs the White House en route to the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium |
| 5:00 PM | President Biden Delivers Remarks on the 75th Anniversary of NATO |
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre @1:00 PM D.C., time:
75th Anniversary of NATO Tweet
From Tuesday…
Today begins a historic summit marking the 75th anniversary of NATO’s founding.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 9, 2024
And later this evening, I look forward to hosting our 31 NATO Allies in our nation’s capitol to commemorate the strongest defensive alliance in history.
Background Press Call Previewing the NATO Summit:
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Great. Thanks. And it’s good to be with all of you.
President Biden is looking forward to hosting the leaders of our 31 NATO Allies, as well as a number of our NATO partners, next week in Washington for a historic summit to mark the 75th anniversary of NATO’s founding.
I’m going to go over the schedule in a minute, but I first want to take some time to discuss the context in which NATO leaders will be gathering at such an important moment in transatlantic security.
For 75 years, NATO has kept America and the world safer. NATO is the strongest defensive alliance in history, and it’s been truly indispensable to Euro-Atlantic security, deterring threats to the United States and our allies.
Today, our Alliance is larger, stronger, better resourced, and more united than ever before, and that’s in large part due to President Biden’s effort over these last three years.
When President Biden assumed office, he made it his mission to restore America’s standing on the world stage and revitalize and rebuild our alliances and partnerships, most especially NATO. He’s worked to expand the Alliance by welcoming two new members, Sweden and Finland. And he rallied the Alliance to build a global coalition to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has shattered peace in Europe and shaken the rules-based international order, posing the greatest threat to transatlantic security in decades, if not longer.
Under President Biden’s leadership, the United States and our NATO Allies provided critical support to Ukraine and enhanced our global partnerships. NATO Allies are also making significant investments in our own defense and deterrence capabilities.
When the Biden-Harris administration took office, only nine Allies were spending at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense. Today, a record 23 NATO Allies are at or above the minimum level of 2 percent of GDP for defense spending, more than twice as many as in 2021 and nearly eight times higher than when Allies first set the 2 percent benchmark a decade ago.
Cumulative defense spending for European Allies is also collectively exceeding the 2 percent spending mark for the first time, and these numbers will continue to improve.
Our Allies are not just spending more on their defense, they’re also spending more on American platforms and munitions. This spending is helping to revitalize production lines across the country and securing jobs for American workers.
We’re manufacturing weapons that improve our military readiness and make the United States and its allies more secure while at the same time strengthening our economy. This is something you’re going to hear more about from us on Tuesday afternoon, when Jake Sullivan addresses the Defense Industry Forum ahead of the summit.
Next week, you’ll also see a strong demonstration of U.S. and Allied support for Ukraine. Allies will reaffirm that Ukraine’s future is in NATO; will make significant new announcements about how we’re increasing NATO’s military, political, and financial support for Ukraine. This is part of Ukraine’s “bridge to NATO.”
And on the sidelines of the summit, President Biden will host an event with President Zelenskyy and nearly two dozen other Alli- — excuse me, and nearly two dozen of our Allies and partners who’ve signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, which, of course, President Biden did last month for the United States while at the G7 Summit in Italy.
The United States will also announce new steps to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and military capabilities to help Ukraine continue to defend themselves today and to deter Russian aggression into the future.
Together, the Washington Summit will send a strong signal to Putin that if he thinks he can outlast the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine, he’s dead wrong.
We’re also going to send an important message to the rest of the world, including through our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, as we stand together united and in support of democratic values.
Now, turning to the schedule, quickly I’ll go through some of the topline highlights. I know that many of you will be receiving a more detailed schedule for the week with the exact timing and logistics information, but let me just tick through a few items now.
On Tuesday evening, President Biden will welcome NATO leaders, and he and Dr. Biden will host a 75th anniversary commemoration event at the Mellon Auditorium, which is the site of the original signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, which of course established NATO on April 4, 1949. It’s also the site of the 1999 50th anniversary commemorative event hosted by President Clinton.
On Wednesday, the President will welcome Sweden as the newest member of the Alliance at a meeting of NATO’s 32 Allies. And that evening, he and Dr. Biden will host NATO leaders for a dinner at the White House.
On Thursday morning, NATO will hold a meeting with the EU and with NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners — that’s Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and New Zealand — to deepen our cooperation.
In the afternoon, also Thursday, there’ll be a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, after which the President will host an event with nearly two dozen Allies and partners who have negotiated and signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, which is the event that I mentioned earlier.
After that, the President will hold a press conference and take questions from the media.
And while the President will have quite a busy schedule given his commitment as the host of the summit, we’re working to set up several bilats and meetings with various world leaders on the margins of the summit, including President Zelenskyy, again, as I mentioned earlier. And we’ll have more information on those to share in the coming days.
So with that, I’m happy to turn to your questions.
Background Press Call Previewing the NATO Summit. 07/05/2024.
President Biden Delivers Remarks on the 75th Anniversary of NATO @5:00 PM D.C., time:
“Campaign” Tweets
From Monday…
A fair tax code is how we invest in things that make this country great: health care, education, defense, and so much more.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 8, 2024
I’m going to keep fighting like hell to make it fair.
And under my plans, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny.
My Administration has proposed to cancel student debt for borrowers who still owe student loans even though they started repaying them more than two decades ago.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 8, 2024
It’s time you got out from under that strain and stress.
Statement on Russia’s Missile Strikes in Ukraine Tweet
From Monday…
Russia’s missile strikes that today killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians and caused damage and casualties at Kyiv’s largest children’s hospital are a horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality. It is critical that the world continues to stand with Ukraine at this important moment…
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 9, 2024
Show more =’s It is critical that the world continues to stand with Ukraine at this important moment and that we not ignore Russian aggression. This week, I will be welcoming President Zelenskyy and NATO leaders to Washington D.C., and I will be meeting with President Zelenskyy to make clear our support for Ukraine is unshakeable.
Statement from President Joe Biden on Russian Missile Strikes in Ukraine:
Russia’s missile strikes that today killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians and caused damage and casualties at Kyiv’s largest children’s hospital are a horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality. It is critical that the world continues to stand with Ukraine at this important moment and that we not ignore Russian aggression. This week, I will be welcoming President Zelenskyy and NATO leaders to Washington D.C., and I will be meeting with President Zelenskyy to make clear our support for Ukraine is unshakeable. Together with our allies, we will be announcing new measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses to help protect their cities and civilians from Russian strikes. The United States stands with the people of Ukraine.
Statement from President Joe Biden on Russian Missile Strikes in Ukraine. 07/08/2024.
Today, Russia struck Ukrainian cities, resulting in over 170 injuries. As of now, 37 fatalities have been reported, including three children. My condolences go out to their families and loved ones.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 8, 2024
In total, nearly 100 facilities were damaged, including a children's hospital,… pic.twitter.com/Gbd5Yefzfp
Show more =’s In total, nearly 100 facilities were damaged, including a children’s hospital, ordinary houses, kindergartens, a maternity hospital, a college, and a business center. The rubble is still being cleared at these sites. Russian terrorists must be held accountable for this. Mere concern does not stop terror. Condolences are not a weapon. We need to shoot down Russian missiles. Russian combat aircraft must be destroyed where they are based. Strong steps must be taken to eliminate any security deficit. The world has the necessary strength to do this. Our partners are capable of making it happen. Decisions are needed as soon as possible.
The rescue operation after yesterday's Russian missile attack continues.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 9, 2024
As of now, 38 people have been reported dead, including four children. My condolences to all the families and friends affected by this tragedy.
190 people were injured and are receiving assistance. There… pic.twitter.com/T7kfLkggKx
Show more =’s 190 people were injured and are receiving assistance. There are 64 people hospitalized in Kyiv, 28 in Kryvyi Rih, and 6 in Dnipro. All patients from Okhmatdyt have been transferred to other medical institutions. In some areas where the missiles hit, rescue operations continued throughout the night, involving almost 400 rescuers. I am grateful to everyone who is rescuing and caring for our people, to everyone involved, and to everyone who is helping. We continue our work to increase the protection of our cities and communities from Russian terror. There will be decisions. The world has the necessary strength for this. I also thank all the leaders who supported us and are preparing new joint steps to protect lives from Russian terror.
Liat Beinin Atzili is a Survivor Tweet
From Monday…
Liat Beinin Atzili is a survivor.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 9, 2024
It was my honor to welcome her to the White House this evening, hear firsthand about her resilience despite enduring the unthinkable, and promise her that my work isn’t done until we secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas. pic.twitter.com/4fMneEkHzv
The Times of Israel reported that; Liat Beinin Atzili was released on November 29, 2023 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel. Her husband Aviv was murdered on October 7. This is the story of her capture:
The story was published on October 21st, 2023; her release from Hamas was provided as an update to her story.
Hurrican Beryl Tweet
From Monday…
Jill and I are keeping everyone impacted by Hurricane Beryl in our prayers, including the lives tragically lost.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 9, 2024
Today, I called Houston Mayor John Whitmire and told him my Administration will make sure Texans have the resources they need to get through the storm now and to…
Show more =’s Today, I called Houston Mayor John Whitmire and told him my Administration will make sure Texans have the resources they need to get through the storm now and to recover moving forward. The U.S. Coast Guard and FEMA stand ready to support local response efforts. We thank all of the first responders and will remain with the people of Texas every step of the way.
At least 8 people are dead, including a police officer who had been driving to work while Hurricane Beryl tore across southeast Texas.
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 9, 2024
Parts of the state are devastated — and there were more than 2.5 million power outages, some of which may not be restored for days. pic.twitter.com/8U8XYNGUN9
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