Biden says Ukrainian soldiers are fooling the Russian military with the help of the 5,500 Javelin anti-tank missiles sent to Lockheed Martin’s factory by the US
- President Joe Biden visited a Lockheed Martin arms factory on Tuesday
- He thanked the workers or the assembly of Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Ukrainian fighters used to repel the Russian invasion
- “They allow the Ukrainians to defend themselves and quite frankly they make a fool of the Russian military in many cases,” Biden said
President Joe Biden visited a Lockheed Martin arms factory on Tuesday and thanked the company’s workers for assembling Javelin anti-tank missiles that Ukrainian militants have used to repel the Russian invasion.
“You allow it Ukrainians need to defend themselves and, frankly, in many cases they make a fool of the Russian military,” Biden told workers at a plant in Troy, Alabama.
The Biden administration has pledged to send 5,500 javelins to Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin began invading the country on February 24.
President Joe Biden visited a Lockheed Martin weapons factory on Tuesday and thanked the company’s workers for assembling Javelin anti-tank missiles
President Joe Biden speaks with workers at a Lockheed Martin arms factory in Troy, Alabama on Tuesday
President Joe Biden will be shown how Javelin anti-tank missiles are made during a tour of a Lockheed Martin plant in Alabama on Tuesday
President Joe Biden shakes the hand of a worker at the Lockheed Martin gun factory in Troy, Alabama on Tuesday
Javelin anti-tank missiles are seen Tuesday at Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations facility in Troy, Alabama
President Joe Biden arrives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama on Tuesday before touring Lockheed Martin Pike County’s facility that manufactures Javelin anti-tank missiles in Troy, Alabama
People watch as President Joe Biden arrives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama on Tuesday to tour a Lockheed Martin facility
Biden took a brief tour of the plant before delivering a speech.
“You realize how many lives you’ve saved,” Biden told a woman during the tour. “Tell you what, you’re making a gigantic difference to the rest of the world.”
He let the compliments come as soon as he got on stage.
He was introduced by Linda Griffin, a lead rocket fitter for the Javelin program, who exclaimed that she had touched each of the “50,000!” Spears from Troy.
“I’m telling you, Linda, if I were the CEO of this company, I would be concerned,” Biden joked, praising her spirited introduction as he took the podium.
Biden said he made the trip to Alabama to say “thank you, thank you, thank you” to workers.
“We know the United States is leading our allies and partners around the world to ensure the brave Ukrainians fighting for the nation’s future have the weapons and capacity, as well as ammunition and equipment, to stand up to Putin’s brutal.” defend war,” Biden said.
“Many war crimes are being committed,” the President continued.
“But what we don’t always see is the work that makes so much of it possible — and that’s you,” Biden added. “You make it possible for them to have a chance.”
President Joe Biden speaks to reporters at Joint Base Andrews ahead of his trip to Alabama Tuesday
“You make a gigantic difference for these poor sons of arms under such enormous pressure and firepower,” he also said.
Biden said Ukrainians are so grateful they name babies after the guns.
“In fact, they were so important that there’s even a story about Ukrainian parents naming their children — no joke — their newborn child ‘Javelin’ or ‘Javelina,'” Biden said.
He again urged Congress to pass a $33 billion amendment that would further fund US efforts to arm Ukraine.
The request includes an additional $20 billion in military aid to Ukraine, which would also help replenish US stockpiles of ammunition dwindling due to the war effort.
The President also spoke about semiconductors and urged lawmakers to pass the CHIPS bill, which would strengthen US semiconductor manufacturing.
