'It's not enough' — Ukrainians react to Biden's farewell speech

January 17, 2025

By Ukraine

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In his farewell speech from the White House on Jan.15, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden took the opportunity to highlight his achievements in office in an attempt to help cement his legacy.

Yet, despite being one of the world's biggest international crises that spanned much of Biden's term in office, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine only gained a single mention.

"Ukraine is still free, and we've pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more," Biden said as he listed his administration's accomplishments, including a stronger NATO military alliance.

"It will take time to feel the full impact of what we've done together. But the seeds are planted, and they'll grow, and they'll bloom for decades to come," he added.

"It will take time to feel the full impact of what we've done together. But the seeds are planted, and they'll grow, and they'll bloom for decades to come."

The Biden administration provided Ukraine with $65.9 billion in military assistance since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion, making it the largest donor in absolute terms.

But how this aid was given has regularly attracted criticism, particularly over the speed of the decision-making process in the White House.

Big ticket weapons, including heavy tanks, F-16 fighter jets, and the decision to greenlight long-range missile strikes deep inside Russian territory often only came after weeks or months of political wrangling, hampering Ukraine's ability to fight back against Russian forces.

Then there is Biden's assertion that "Ukraine is free" — Russia continues to occupy roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory while its forces are pushing forward in Donetsk Oblast.

We asked Ukrainians for their assessment of Biden's presidency, his legacy in regard to the full-scale invasion, and what he could have done more to help Ukraine.

`Olexiy Haran`

Professor at Kyiv Mohyla Academy, and research advisor at the Democratic Initiatives Foundation

We are thankful to the U.S. and personally to President Biden for all the support they have given to Ukraine, including military support. It was of immense importance in rebuffing Vladimir Putin of Russia.

I believe that for Biden, Ukraine became a personal issue that he took deeply into his heart.

However, all the time support was delayed and not enough. There are different reasons for that but the main one is Putin's nuclear blackmail which worked, as in the case with other Western leaders, unfortunately.

As a result we were not prepared enough for the counteroffensive in late 2022 and summer 2023. The lack of weapons and, therefore, the lack of success have decreased the levels of optimism for Ukrainian soldiers in the war of attrition and, among other reasons, created additional problems for mobilization.

`Khrystia Vengryniuk`

Author, and book publisher

At the beginning of the war, I believed that NATO would intervene, protect us, that their planes would fly and close the sky over Ukraine, and that this hell would end very quickly.

This did not happen. And when they were destroying Mariupol, I was simply convinced, minute to minute, from day to day, they would close the sky over at least this city, where thousands of people and children were killed every day. The world knew what was happening there, but no one intervened.

"The world knew what was happening there, but no one intervened."

Now they say that 117,000 people died in Mariupol, 15,000 of them children. This can only mean one thing — everyone was afraid of Russia. They were so afraid that they could not even protect innocent civilians.

But would we have survived as a state if it were not for America and Europe? No, we would not have survived. And the fact that we still exist is indeed a very great, if not the greatest, merit of the U.S. during the Biden presidency. All the weapons, aid, and sanctions from the U.S. helped us hold out.

We lost 20% of our territory, we lost hundreds of thousands of people, but we are here and we will be, thanks to Joe Biden first and foremost.

`Oleksandr Merezhko`

the chair of the parliament's foreign affairs policy

I expected the outgoing U.S. president to devote more attention to Ukraine in his farewell speech. Ukraine was mentioned only once. I understand that it was worded very carefully, but it doesn't sound optimistic enough. It doesn't say something encouraging and certain about the future of Ukraine.

I would like to hear from the outgoing president something more optimistic and encouraging, something like: 'The people of the U.S. will never leave Ukraine alone, and American friends of Ukraine will not allow anyone to throw Ukraine under the bus.'

This mention of Ukraine is just a statement of a fact, but it's not about our future.

Just one mention of Ukraine after three years of difficult struggle is not enough.

Biden knows that we are worried about our future in connection with the new administration, and a few more words of support and encouragement would be psychologically appropriate.