Joe Biden disappears into Amazon rainforest, takes no questions on major Ukraine war escalation
Joe Biden took no questions about a major Ukraine war escalation in a bizarre press conference in the Amazon rainforest on Sunday.
US President Joe Biden held a press conference in the Amazon rainforest on Sunday to announce a multimillion-dollar plan to “reforest the Amazon” — but took no questions about a just-announced decision clearing Ukraine to use long-range American missiles to strike inside Russia in a major escalation of the conflict.
Mr Biden gave brief remarks to the media in Manaus, Brazil before turning and disappearing into the trees.
“Biden, who just authorised Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles, takes no questions and retreats back into the Amazon rainforest,” the Republican National Committee’s RNC Research account posted on X.
The outgoing president had just signed a proclamation designating November 17 as International Conservation Day during a tour of the Museu da Amazonia ahead the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
“Today I’m proud to be here, the first sitting US President to visit the Amazon rainforest, to recommit to protecting the rainforest like this one,” Mr Biden said.
“The most powerful solutions we have to fight climate change is all around us — the world’s forests. Trees breathe carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and yet each minute, the world is chopping down the equivalent of 10 soccer fields of forest. That’s why we’ve been the leader internationally in the fight to end and reverse deforestation by 2030. That’s why we’ve led by example at home, conserving an area of US lands and waters larger than the nation of Uruguay. We’ve done it by fighting for tribal partners, lifting them up.”
Mr Biden said indigenous communities were the most impacted by deforestation and climate change and Sunday’s announcement “will support indigenous communities to do the same here in the Amazon”.
“With today’s proclamation, I am proud to announce, first, the United States Development Finance Corporation will mobilise hundreds of millions of dollars in partnership with a Brazilian company to reforest the Amazon,” he said.
“Second, we’re launching a Brazil Restoration and Bio-Economy Finance Coalition to mobilise at least $US10 billion by 2030 to restore and protect 20,000 square miles of land. And third, I’m announcing an additional $US50 million to the Amazon Fund that we’ve already given $US50 million.”
Mr Biden said the US would also provide funding to help launch Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s “important new initiative”, the Tropical Rainforest Forever fund.
“It’s in the interest of all of us, the United States benefits from that as much as any other country,” he said.
Mr Biden also took a pointed shot at incoming President Donald Trump.
“It’s no secret that I’m leaving office in January — I will leave my successor and my country on a strong foundation to build on if they choose to,” he said.
“It’s true, some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that’s underway in America, but nobody, nobody can reverse it. Not when so many people regardless of party of politics are enjoying its benefits.”
He concluded, “The Amazon rainforest was built up over 50 million years. History is literally watching us now, so let’s preserve this sacred place for our time and forever for the benefit of all humanity. Thank you very, very much.”
The press conference came as a US official confirmed that Mr Biden had cleared Kyiv to use American missiles against military targets inside Russia, hours after Russia targeted Ukraine’s power grid in a deadly barrage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has long pushed for authorisation from Washington to use the powerful Army Tactical Missile System, known by its initials ATACMS, to hit targets inside Russia.
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The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, was confirming reports from The New York Times and The Washington Post that the major policy shift — long demanded by Ukraine — was in response to North Korea deploying troops to help Moscow’s war effort.
News of Mr Biden’s decision came hours after Ukraine announced nationwide emergency power restrictions from Monday after Russia’s massive attack, which killed 19 civilians and further damaged the country’s already fragile energy grid.
— with AFP
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