State of the Union: Freedom and democracy ‘under attack at home and overseas’, Joe Biden warns

Joe Biden has declared freedom and democracy are “under attack” both in the US and abroad as he delivered one of the most important speeches of his presidency.

In his State of the Union address, the US president appealed to Congress to continue supporting Ukraine in its war effort against Russia, as he said: “History is watching.”

He warned of the potency of Russian President Vladimir Putin and “assured” the Kremlin would not stop at just attacking Ukraine.

Mr Biden said: “If the United States walks away now, it will put Ukraine at risk. Europe at risk. The free world at risk emboldening others who wish to do us harm.

“My message to President Putin is simple. We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down.”

Speaking in the House chamber, Mr Biden quickly turned his attention to Republican opponent and predecessor Donald Trump, condemning his recent comments on Russia.

The 81-year-old then turned to the 2021 January 6 insurrection at the Capitol Building by Trump supporters – and accused them of not being “patriots”.

He called for the threat to democracy to be countered and said Mr Trump and some members present in the chamber sought to “bury the truth” – something he said he would not do.

Referring to the Israel Hamas conflict, the president confirmed the US would establish a temporary port on the Gaza coast to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the region, describing the consequences of the war as “heartbreaking”.

As the US election approaches in November, Mr Biden spoke about a number of issues facing America and addressed a selection of invited guests to illustrate his key points.

Highlighting Latorya Beasley, a social worker from Alabama, Mr Biden said she and her husband welcomed a baby 14 months ago “thanks to the miracle of IVF”.

However, the overturning of the landmark Roe v Wade ruling in 2022 – which legalised abortion nationwide and led to many state abortion bans – resulted in Ms Beasley’s “dream” of having a second child being put on hold as the Alabama Supreme Court shut down IVF treatments across the state, the president said.

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Should he be re-elected, Mr Biden said he would restore Roe v Wade as he called on Kate Cox to rise from the stands.

Ms Cox was pregnant with a foetus diagnosed with a serious genetic anomaly, but had to flee from the Republican state of Texas where abortion was illegal in order to terminate the pregnancy.

Mr Biden said: “What her family has gone through should never have happened as well.

“There are state laws banning the right to choose, criminalising doctors, and forcing survivors of rape and incest to leave their states as well to get the care they need.”

He again denounced Mr Trump, repeatedly referring to him as his “predecessor” instead of by his name, and others in the chamber seeking to pass a national ban on reproductive choice adding: “My God, what freedoms will you take away next?”

The speech was an opportunity for the president to reiterate the economic progress during his time in office, including 15 million new jobs, the growth of small businesses and a drop in inflation since he was sworn in three years ago.