Ukrainian soldiers have expressed concerns about President Joe Biden’s bid for a second term after his latest gaffe during NATO’s closing press conference, where he mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “Putin”.
Although Zelensky dismissed the error, Ukrainian soldiers told the Kyiv Independent they are worried about Biden’s mental acuity and believe he should withdraw from the upcoming presidential race for the benefit of both America and Ukraine.
“I believe that [Biden] needs to be removed urgently,” said Pavlo, a junior lieutenant in Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanised Brigade, currently stationed in the Donbas.
The soldiers fear that Biden’s mental fitness may hinder his ability to make critical governing decisions, especially as Ukraine relies heavily on the US for military support against Russia.
They also doubt his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump, who has previously questioned aid packages to Ukraine and was involved in delaying aid during his first impeachment.
“Any reasonable Democrat will be better than him,” added Pavlo.
Yevhen, a drone engineer with Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade, acknowledged Biden’s support but criticised him for not taking a stronger stance against Russia.
He described Trump as “a chaotic person from whom we don’t know what to expect” and suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris “would be a better president than both” Biden and Trump.
Amid these political concerns, the conflict continues to take its toll.
On Saturday, Russian shelling resulted in four deaths in Ukraine, with both sides engaging in drone attacks. A Ukrainian drone crashed into an oil depot in the Tsimlyansky district, causing a fire that burned for more than four hours.
In the Kherson region, two people were killed and two others wounded by bombings, while in Kharkiv, two more died and 22 were injured from Russian shelling.
