President Biden on Tuesday visited a Lockheed Martin facility in Alabama to commend workers there for producing Javelin anti-tank missiles helping Ukraine fend off the Russian military invasion.
After his tour, he gave remarks thanking the workers for their efforts and pushed for the passage of his $33 billion supplemental funding request for Ukraine.
‘Making fool’ of the Russians: “You’re allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves, and, quite frankly, they’re making fools of the Russian military in many instances,” Biden said in remarks after touring the facility in Troy, Ala.
“A big part of the reason they’ve been able to keep up fighting and to make this war a strategic failure for Russia is because the United States together with our allies and partners have had their back.”
“You’re changing the nation,” he added. “You really are.”
The case for more funding: Biden administration officials have warned the war, which began at the end of February, could go on for months or longer.
“I urge the Congress to pass this funding quickly to help Ukraine to continue to succeed against Russian aggression,” Biden said, making the case for the additional funding. “This fight is not going to be cheap, but caving to aggression would be even more costly.”
About the facility: The Lockheed Martin facility in Troy produces thousands of Javelin anti-tank missile systems each year.
According to the White House, the U.S. government and its allies have transferred a total of 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine to fend off Russian aggression.
Biden drew a direct connection between the Pike County facility, which employs about 600 people, and the U.S. support for Ukraine, telling the workers they should be proud of themselves for helping the Ukrainians fight.
“I came for a basic reason, from the bottom of my heart, to say thank you,” the president said, wrapping up his remarks. “Unless you go out in the field and see it, you don’t realize what a difference you’re making.”
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