Zelensky brushes off Biden’s “Putin” gaffe

Zelensky brushes off Biden’s “Putin” gaffe

Ukrinform
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, during his visit to Ireland, commented to journalists on U.S. President Joe Biden’s blunder during a press conference in Washington where he referred to the Ukrainian leader as “President Putin” before quickly correcting himself.

That’s according to The Irish Times, Ukrinform reports.

When asked about his reaction, Zelensky said: "It’s a mistake. I think the United States gave a lot of support for Ukrainians. We can forget some mistakes, I think so."

The president was also asked what his message was to the people of Ireland.

“First of all, thank you so much for your support, thanks to Ireland for hosting a lot of Ukrainian refugees, you were with us from the very beginning of the Russian invasion,” Zelensky replied.

Read also: Biden after NATO summit: I will not walk away from Ukraine

At the press briefing held after the talks with Zelensky, Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Simon Harris confirmed he had accepted an official invitation to visit Kyiv and hoped to make the visit "in the coming weeks."

Harris said the meeting "gave me an opportunity to express the condolences of the people of Ireland to the people of Ukraine, to the president of Ukraine, for the loss of life during this brutal and illegal war of Russian aggression."

He said he was “very taken” by the fact that the Ukrainian authorities have a bomb shelter program in place to prepare for the start of the academic year in September.

According to Harris, he is "absolutely horrified" by Russia abducting Ukrainian children.

Read also: Zelensky discusses cooperation in demining and cybersecurity with Prime Minister of Ireland

“I don’t believe the world knows enough about this,” Harris said. “Russia is actively stealing children from Ukraine – it is taking young babies and children from the clutches of their parents and it is bringing them to temporary occupied territories or to Russia.”

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Ukraine’s president stopped by in Ireland on his way back from the U.S. He discussed with the head of the Irish government continued cooperation in demining and cybersecurity, as well as strengthening work on a bilateral security agreement.

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