Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said President Biden’s mistakenly referring to him as Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday was a mistake that can be forgotten.
“That’s a mistake. I think the United States has given Ukraine a lot of support,” Zelenskiy told reporters on Saturday. Reuters reported. “I think we can forget about some of the mistakes.”
Zelenskiy was referring to the moment Biden introduced him at the NATO summit in Washington earlier this week.
“Now I want to turn this agenda over to the president of Ukraine, a man who has as much courage as he has resolve: men and women, President Putin,” Biden said.
Biden quickly corrected himself, saying, “He’s going to beat President Putin, he’s going to beat President Zelensky.”
“I have to worry about that, because I’m focused on defeating Putin,” Biden joked.
Zelensky interjected, saying: “I feel better.”
“You’re so much better,” Biden said.
The mishap came amid growing scrutiny of Biden, 81, as he faces calls from members of his party to step aside and hire someone else to challenge former President Trump in the election.
Biden is fresh off several days of meetings with international leaders, many of which were focused on supporting Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.
Zelensky and Putin’s comments came just hours before Biden mistakenly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump” during a news conference after the NATO summit.
At the press conference, Biden spoke harshly about Putin and the war, saying he had sowed fear in Europe and calling him a “homicidal maniac.”
Russia hit back, calling Biden’s comments “totally unacceptable.”
