22 February 2023 , 17:47
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Joe Biden was seen stumbling on the stairs of Air Force One again as he headed back to the US after a mammoth journey visiting Europe.
The 80-year-old president was forced to compose himself as he boarded the plane following a gruelling three-day visit which included trips to Ukraine and Poland.
Biden made a secret visit on Monday to Ukraine to show support for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the year anniversary of the Russian war.
He got on a secret plane from Joint Base Andrews, through Germany, to Poland.
The president then went on a secret and lengthy 10-hour train journey across the border to Ukraine.
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The 80-year-old has previously struggled with the steps of Air Force One after struggling in March 2021 when he appeared to miss his step.
President Biden appeared to stumble as he boarded Air Force One (AP)And in June, Biden fell off his bike during a weekend away in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
The president was heading back to the US following days two days in Warsaw after a meeting with Bucharest Nine leaders, who represent NATO's eastern flank.
In the meeting, Biden slammed Putin's decision to leave the New START nuclear arms treaty as a "big mistake" as he promised to "defend every inch" of NATO amid rising tensions between Washington and Moscow.
He was departing Warsaw Chopin Airport and heading back to the US (AFP via Getty Images)During the meeting the president sarcastically referred to Putin as a "friend".
He joked: "'The irony is that - one of the last conversations I had with our friend in Russia, was I said, you keep asking for the Finlandization of NATO, you're going to get the NATOization of Finland."
Biden told the Bucharest Nine leaders ahead of Sweden and Finland joining Nato: "'As NATO's eastern flank, near the frontlines of our collective defense, many of you know better than anyone what's at stake in this conflict.
US President Joe Biden walks next to Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky (Ukraine Presidency/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)"Not just free Ukraine, but freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world."
The president added he would defend "literally every inch, every inch of NATO" as long as he was in power.
He stated: "'What literally is at stake is not just Ukraine, it's freedom. The idea that over 100,000 forces would invade another country. Since World War II nothing like that has happened."
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However, Biden did remark things have changed "radically" since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He regained his composure and headed inside (AFP via Getty Images)He admitted: "We have to make sure we change them back."
And on Tuesday the president spoke to a crowd of 30,000 people at Warsaw Royal Castle Gardens where he promised: "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, never."
He used the event to slam President Putin for suggesting the US wanted to "destroy Russia" and said the war was all down to him.
The comments come after Putin's state-of-the-nation address where he attempted to blame the war on the West.