How Putin's and Biden’ Addresses Went Down on Kyiv's Streets

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. President Joe Biden, both delivered their highly anticipated, and markedly different addresses on Tuesday, Feb 21, as Russia's war in Ukraine approaches the one-year mark.

Putin's speech was nearly two hours of blaming everyone except himself for the war in Ukraine, scaremongering, and nuclear saber rattling by announcing the suspension of Russia's participation in the New START treaty.

Meanwhile, Biden said Ukraine would "never be a victory for Russia" as he delivered a speech in Poland and made it clear that the U.S. will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Kyiv Post took to the streets of the capital to ask people's opinions on both addresses.

Eugene, Student

“The usual nonsense of a madman, he took the last trump card from his sleeve after withdrawing from the nuclear weapons agreement and he had nothing left. His Sarmat ballistic missile test failed, but he said nothing about it. Half the people in the room were asleep. It seems to me that he no longer affects the situation in any way. Few people listen to him and China helps Russia only to serve its own interests.

Putin said something about moral values in Europe, despite the story about the gay son of the Kremlin's main propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.

Meanwhile, Biden was much more convincing. At least after his speech, the world began to move with weapons for Ukraine, and planes were already being discussed. He never throws words to the wind. And the fact that he came to Kyiv is very important to us.”

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Vladimir, Retired

“In short, Putin's rhetoric has not changed. He continues to threaten, but I noticed that he is scared, afraid, and doesn’t know what to do… His main task is to capture the land corridor to Crimea, and he will throw all his last forces at it, but we will soon see if he manages to do that.

Biden said the U.S. would continue to fight for Ukraine to the end, sparing neither forces nor weapons. And this situation is favorable for us as long as China is not involved.

Mykhailo, Businessman

In general, Putin's speech is a set of mad slogans and manipulations that have nothing to do with geopolitical realities and the world order. They are the crazy calls of a dictator who wants to draw his own people more and more deeply into a confrontation with the entire civilized world. But I was surprised that this speech contained no aggressive statements towards Ukraine. He did not declare a full-scale war or full-scale mobilization.

For me,  Biden's speech was a speech of true unity based on common values, freedom, democracy, and the protection of NATO partners who share these values. When such an absolutely illegal terrorist aggression against Ukraine occurs, the civilized world cannot stand aside, otherwise, all these meanings and values are leveled. You can't stay away when it just happens in the center of Europe. Therefore, Biden's speech is a speech of unity and strength.

Victoria, Photographer

Putin showed the whole world his insanity and complete lack of intelligence. It was clear in this speech that he understood that this war was lost to him. But he is sitting and building something out of himself with the last of his strength. He has neither the strength, nor the resource, nor the desire to fight.

Biden's speech is our great pride. Here they are of a similar age, but what a big difference, when one has a Soviet brain, and the other was brought up in a democratic and civilized world. Their mentality difference is colossal. I greatly respect him and am grateful for his support and attention to our country.

Julia, Teacher

I started watching Putin's speech and turned it off after 10 minutes. It triggers a gag reflex on a physical level. I'm sure there was nothing but lies there. Lies, lies, and even more lies. And these people who were sitting in the hall were generally all monsters.

These faces were intimidated, poor from their hopelessness… There is an abyss, deep and dark, from which they cannot get out, and I think they understand this.

Biden's speech made me feel deeply grateful and proud. The whole civilized world is with us and we are not alone in our troubles. I want the announced weapons to reach our guys at the front faster so we can quickly cope with this terrible Moscow invasion.