security challenges. this is about half an hour.

have all just received reports

that alexei navalny has died in russia. this is of course terrible news, which we are working to confirm. my prayers are with his family, including his wife, who is with us today. and if confirmed, this would be a further sign of putin's brutality. whatever story they tell, let us be clear russia is responsible, and we will have more to say on this later. as was said, this is my third time period. i am honored to be with so many friends. this year we gather amid in increased instability and conflict in the middle east. we gather amid brushes ongoing aggression in ukraine. china's efforts to reshape the instant national order.

transformative technological change, and the existential threat of the climate crisis. in this context, i know that there are questions here in europe and around the world about the future of america's role of global leadership. these are questions the american people must also ask ourselves. whether it is in america's interest to continue to engage with the world or to turn inward . whether it is in our interest to defend long-standing rules and norms that have provided for unprecedented peace and prosperity or to allow them to be trampled. whether it is in america's interest to fight for democracy or to accept the rise of

dictators. and whether it is in america's interest to continue to work in lockstep with our allies and partners were go it alone. today i will explain how president biden and i answer these questions. with full knowledge that how america responds will affect the american people, the people of europe, and people around the world. i believe it is in the fundamental interest of the american people for the united states to fulfill our long-standing role of global leadership. as president biden and i have made clear over the past three years, we are committed to pursue global engagement.

to uphold international rules and norms. to defend democratic values at home and abroad. in to work with our allies and partners in pursuit of shared goals. as i travel throughout my country, and the world. it is clear to me this approach makes america strong, and it keeps american safe. however, there are some in the united states who disagree. they suggest it is in the best interest of the american people to isolate ourselves from the world. to flout common understandings among nations, to embrace dictators and adopt the repressive tactics.

and abandon commitments to our allies in favor of unilateral action. let me be clear, that worldview is dangerous, destabilizing, and indeed shortsighted. that view would weaken america. it would undermine global stability and undermine global prosperity. president biden and i reject that view. and please do understand, our approach is not based on the virtues of charity. we pursue our approach because it is in our strategic interest. i strongly believe america's role of global leadership is to

the direct benefit of the american people. our leadership keeps our homeland safe, supports american jobs, secures supply chains and opens new markets for american goods. and i firmly believe our commitment to build and sustain the alliances have helped america become the most powerful and prosperous country in the world. alliances that have prevented wars, defended freedom and maintain stability from europe to the in pacific. to put all of that at risk would be foolish. president biden and i have demonstrated there is a smarter way. when it comes to america's national security, our approach starts with our historic direct

investment in the working people of america. in investment which has helped build a resilient and innovative economy. we are clear we cannot be strong abroad if we are not strong at home. we have made a once in a generation investment to rebuild our roads and bridges and highways. with more than 40,000 infrastructure projects across all of our 50 states. we are bringing semi conductor manufacturing back to america. which will secure our supply chains and enable the future of technology. and we have invested $1 trillion to address the climate crisis and build a new clean energy economy, reduce emissions and meet our global climate commitment. our economic vision has insured

america's economy remains the strongest in the world. with historic job creation, historic creation of small businesses, and broad-based economics growth. over the past three years, backed by this strong track record at home, we have implemented our national security strategy. in the in pacific, we have invested in partnerships and created new ones to ensure peace and security in the free flow of commerce. we have responsibly managed competition with china, standing up to beijing when necessary, and also working together when it serves our interest. in the middle east, we are working to end the conflict that hamas triggered on october 7. as soon as possible.

it is a when israel is secure, hostages are released. the humanitarian crisis is resolved. hamas does not control gaza and palestinians can enjoy their right to security, dignity, freedom, and self-determination. [applause] this work, while we also work to counter aggression from iran and its proxies, prevent regional escalation and promote regional integration. in addition, we have strengthen our partnerships on the continents of africa -- continent of africa. understanding that the innovation happening on the continent will shape the future of our world. we have also worked with partners in the caribbean and

throughout latin america to increase private sector investments, adjust the climate crisis, and address the root causes of migration. and the biden/harris administration had -- has led the world to respond to the climate crisis and ensure ai has developed in service of the public interest. we have also worked to advance and uphold rules and norms for outer space and to empower women around the globe. and here in europe, we have joined forces with our friends and allies to stand up for freedom and democracy. as i reflect on two years ago, when i first stood on the stage, on the eve of russia's invasion of ukraine, many of us were -- many of us will recall that time, when many thought kyiv

would fall within days. yet, the skill and the bravery of the people of ukraine, along with the leadership of president zelenskyy, and the 50 nation coalition, the united states has led, has allowed ukraine to achieve what so many thought was impossible. today, kyiv stands free and strong. [applause] the world has come together with leadership from the united states to defend the basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. and to stop in imperialist authoritarian from subjugating a free and democratic people. make no mistake, putin's war has already been an utter failure

for russia. ukraine has regained more than half the territory russia occupied at the start of the conflict. thanks in part to a massive supply of americans and european weapons. the russian military has suffered severe setbacks, it has lost two thirds of its tanks, and more than one third of its fleet in the black sea. because of putin's aggression and recklessness, russia has also suffered over 300,000 casualties. remember, that's more than five times what it lost in 10 years in afghanistan. and now, it forces constructs onto the front lines with as little as two weeks of training.

we have also imposed economic costs on russia for its aggression. together with our g-7 partners, we have frozen russia's sovereign assets and made clear russia must pay for the damages it has caused to ukraine. i applaud the recent $54 billion commitment that you made to support ukraine. on top of the more than $100 billion our european allies and partners have already dedicated. you have made clear that europe but will stand with ukraine. and i will make clear president joe biden and i stand with ukraine. [applause]

in partnership with supportive bipartisan majority, in both houses of the united states congress, we will work to secure critical weapons and resources that ukraine so badly needs. and let me be clear, the failure to do so would be a gift to vladimir putin. more broadly, nato is central to our approach to global security. for president biden and me, our sacred commitment to nato remains iron clad. and i do believe as i have said before, nato is the greatest military alliance the world has ever known. nato is founded on a very simple premise, an attack on one is an

attack on all. and when it comes to conflict between nation, nato have deterred aggressions amongst its members to the benefit of the security of the american people. for the past 75 years, nato members have maintained this solemn pact, including on 9/11 when terrorists attacked america . and for the first and only time, nato invoked article five, the collective defense clause. in nato stood by america's side. nevertheless, before the president and i took office, some questioned the usefulness of nato, suggesting it was obsolete. some in my country also questioned the value of our

commitment to nato's collective defense and calls for their withdrawal of u.s. troops from germany. now, thanks to the leadership of the united states, nato is stronger, larger, more unified and more effective than ever before. we have reinforced nato's eastern flank with more weapons and forces, including air defense and fighter coverage. a sustained presence of army brigade and a permanent u.s. army headquarters in poland. and of course europeans are also stepping up. since president biden and i took office, the number of nato members that have met the goal of spending 2% of gdp has doubled. nato has also added one new member and we are on track to add another. and we look forward to welcoming both finland and sweden to

washington for nato's 75th anniversary summit this summer. [applause] around the world we have made great progress. but ultimately, i do believe none of the gains we have made will be permanent unless we are vigilant. let us remember none of these games were inevitable. i ask you, imagine if america turned our back on ukraine and abandon our nato ally and abandon our treaty commitment. imagine if we win easy on putin let alone encouraged him. history offers a clue.

if we stand by while an aggressor invades its neighbor with impunity, they will keep going. and in the case of putin, that means all of europe would be threatened. if we fail to impose severe consequences on russia, other authoritarians across the globe would be emboldened because they will be watching, they are watching and drawing lessons. history has also shown us if we only look inward, we could not defeat threats for about said. isolation is not insulation. in fact, when america has isolated herself, threats have

only grown. i need not remind the people of europe of a dark history. when the forces of kearny and fascism were on the march, and then america join our allies in defense of freedom. and to safeguard our collect of security. so i will close with this. in these unsettled times, it is clear america cannot retreat. america must stand strong for democracy. we must stand in defense of international rules and .