The struggle

Biden ties D-Day to Russian invasion of Ukraine: "The struggle between a dictatorship and freedom is unending"

From CNN's Joshua Berlinger in Paris

US President Joe Biden is using his speech to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day to draw direct parallels between Nazi Germany and the threats facing Western democracies today -- including in eastern Europe.

"We know the dark forces that these heroes fought against 80 years ago. They never fade. Aggression and greed, the desire to dominate and control, to change borders by force. These are perennial. And the struggle between a dictatorship and freedom is unending," Biden said.

Biden mentioned Ukraine specifically, saying the country has been "invaded by a tyrant bent on domination."

"Ukrainians are fighting with extraordinary courage, suffering great losses but never backing down," Biden said.

The US president claimed that 350,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded in the conflict and that nearly 1 million people had fled Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has not publicly confirmed either figure.

"The United States and NATO and a coalition of more than 50 countries (are) standing strong with Ukraine. We will not walk away," Biden said. "Because if we do, Ukraine will be subjugated, and it will not end there. Ukraine's neighbors will be threatened. All of Europe will be threatened. And make no mistake, the autocrats of the world are watching closely to see what happens in Ukraine. To see if we let this illegal aggression go unchecked. We cannot let that happen. To surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators is simply unthinkable."