Everything was going according to plan. President Joe Biden was hosting the NATO summit, presenting himself as the leader of the free world, and then suddenly he had a slip of the tongue.
As Biden struggles to convince many Americans he is still fit for office, NATO leaders are offering him a vote of confidence, albeit delicately, at least partly out of fear of another Donald Trump presidency.
Biden was closing NATO’s three-day 75th anniversary summit in Washington, emphatically vowing that “Ukraine will prevail against Russian President Vladimir Putin” and praising the courage of Ukraine’s iconic wartime leader Voldymir Zelensky.
Turning to Zelensky, who was in combat uniform, Joe Biden said, “Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.”
Biden quickly corrected his mistake, and Zelensky, a former comedian, immediately made light of the gaffe, saying, “I’m better than Putin.”
But this momentary lapse brought back memories of his debate with Trump two weeks ago — he had failed to convince the public that he still had a conscience.
Biden ‘in charge’
Whether motivated by direct observation, fear of the return of Donald Trump or a simple reluctance to upset their hosts, no leader openly questioned the ability of Biden, who at 81 is six years older than the coalition.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he had a long conversation with Biden at a leaders’ dinner at the White House.
“As always, I saw a president who is in charge, clear on the issues and well informed,” Macron said.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz similarly said Biden had “shown leadership for our shared alliance.”
“Slippage happens all the time, and if you keep a close eye on everybody, you’ll find a lot,” Scholz said.
Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer said allegations of old age against Biden were misguided and the two aides held a wide-ranging discussion in the Oval Office for nearly an hour, longer than expected.
Starmer, whose Labour Party defeated the Conservatives last week and who has no special affinity with Trump, told British media before the summit gaffe: “We did it quickly. He was in good form.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda, who had a close relationship with Trump but has praised Biden’s support for Ukraine, told reporters: “I spoke with President Biden, and there is no doubt that everything is fine.”
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, when asked if he was concerned about the United States, said that in democracies “there is always turmoil before elections.”
“I have absolutely no concerns about the ability of the current president of the United States to lead his country, to lead our fight for Ukraine, to lead NATO,” he said.
“I’m simply concerned that the political environment in the United States right now is too toxic, too polarized, and there’s not enough space for civil and constructive debate about policy,” he told reporters.
Many NATO leaders privately fear a November victory for Trump, who has sharply criticised the alliance for its promise of collective defence, saying it places an unfair burden on the United States.
Trump’s aides have considered making aid to Ukraine a condition of forcing Kiev to hand over territory and reach a quick deal to end the war, in what they call an attempt to distract from the bigger challenge posed by China.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she would not comment on the US election but stressed that the US and Europe would remain united no matter who wins.
He said of the United States, “You saved us once. Please keep doing that.”
One inconsistent voice in NATO has been that of Hungary’s populist prime minister, Viktor Orban.
He had traveled to Russia and China as well as Ukraine ahead of the NATO summit and was heading to Florida to meet Trump after it concluded.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
