‘Welcome to Washington,’ Joe Biden tells world leaders in New York; US President’s ‘gaffe’ goes viral | Video | Today News

A video highlighting another “gaffe” by US President Joe Biden went viral on Wednesday. Reports claimed that Biden told world leaders “Welcome to Washington” while delivering a speech in Manhattan, New York.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Welcome to Washington,” Biden, 81, said at the Inter-Continental New York Barclay hotel on Wednesday.

Addressing the gathering of Western leaders, Biden reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and said, “Fellow leaders, friends, for 944 days [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has waged his vicious onslaught against Ukraine.”

“Ukraine people have stood unwavering, unbroken and unbowed. Today, we are launching a joint declaration of support for Ukraine recovery and reconstruction to make it clear we stand with Ukraine,” Biden said at the event which was timed to coincide with the annual meeting of the United National General Assembly in New York.

Biden spoke ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Wednesday gathering, New York Post reported. The US on Wednesday announced a new weapons package for Ukraine worth $375 million, including ammunition for rocket systems and artillery, as well as armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons, Bloomberg reported.

Speaking from the UN rostrum in a black polo jacket, Zelenskyy said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does seem to be planning attacks on our nuclear power plants and the infrastructure, aiming to disconnect the plants from the power grid.”

Zelenskyy met with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, where he briefed Biden on the current situation on the frontlines and raised the Plan of Victory.

During their meeting, Zelenskyy also expressed his gratitude for the US’s support in Ukraine’s defence efforts.

“I met with President Biden @POTUS on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and expressed my gratitude for the unwavering U.S. support, which is saving lives and helping Ukraine defend its independence. I told President Biden about the situation on the frontlines and raised the Plan of Victory. We agreed to discuss it in detail during negotiations in Washington tomorrow,” posted Zelenskyy on X.

Ukraine has been pushing the United States and its allies to ease restrictions on weapons that can strike deeper into Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)