Toe-curling moment Joe Biden introduces Zelensky as ‘President PUTIN’ in latest gaffe at Nato summit in Washington
JOE Biden mistakenly introduced Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin" at the NATO conference.
The 81-year-old US President was speaking during the Ukraine Compact initiative at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington today.
Biden is facing growing calls to stand down as the Democrat candidate ahead of the US election in November.
He said: "Now I want to hand over to the President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentleman, President Putin."
Biden quickly corrected himself as he greeted Zelensky onto the stage.
"Going to beat President Putin, President Zelensky. I am so focused on beating Putin," Biden said.
It comes after new British PM Sir Keir Starmer hit back at claims Biden is "senile" as he attempts to run for a second term against old foe Donald Trump.
The Labour leader defended his American counterpart after holding an hour-long bilateral meeting in the White House, amid the summit.
Biden is facing growing calls to stand down as the Democrat candidate ahead of the US election in November.
When asked by the BBC whether Biden was senile after an increasing number of people are implying that he is, the PM slapped it down.
He said: "No, we had a really good bilateral yesterday, we were billed for 45 minutes, we went on for the best part of an hour, we went through a huge number of issues at pace.
"He was actually on really good form."
The gaffe came shortly before a highly anticipated news conference where Biden hopes to ease fellow Democrats' fears that he no longer has the ability to beat Republican Donald Trump in the November election, or to carry on in the high-pressure job for another four-year term.
So far, 13 of the 213 Democrats in the House and one of the Senate's 51 Democrats have appealed publicly to the president to withdraw from the race.
During his solo news conference later this evening, Biden will have to respond to questions on a wide range of topics -- including his fitness for another four years in the White House.
Biden's campaign has been on the ropes for two weeks, since his poor debate performance against Trump, his 78-year-old Republican rival.