Biden, 81, glares into the teleprompter and almost makes disastrous slip-up during NATO speech to world leaders trying to prove he is fit to serve

President Joe Biden avoided a adjacent disastrous slip-up during his invited reside to NATO leaders connected Tuesday arsenic nan eyes of nan world watched him to judge his fittingness to service 4 much years successful nan White House.

The president, visibly reference from nan teleprompter, almost publication nan instructions connected it arsenic he awarded outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg nan Presidential Medal of Freedom, nan nation's highest civilian honor.

'Ask nan subject aide,' Biden said and past caught himself. 

'Military travel forward,' he said, averting a adjacent flub. He proceeded to grant nan medal, hanging it astir Stoltenberg's neck, without incident.

Biden faces a trial of his stamina pinch nan commencement of the NATO acme connected Tuesday, wherever voters successful America and leaders from overseas will beryllium watching really he holds up aft his car-crash statement pinch Donald Trump.

A beardown capacity will consequence successful a sigh of alleviation from friends worried a Trump triumph could lead to a return of U.S. isolation. A correction will nonstop their humor unit skyrocketing. 

The three-day fittingness trial began Tuesday evening erstwhile Biden, 81, marked nan 75th day of nan organization. It will proceed done meetings and a meal pinch world leaders connected Wednesday and accumulate successful a property convention connected Thursday. 

Biden's reside was comparatively correction free and his words were beardown but his attraction remained connected nan teleprompter earlier him.

He besides had a insignificant stumble erstwhile he tried to show a communicative astir asking Stoltenberg to enactment connected arsenic NATO chief.

'I realized I was talking to your wife. I personally asked you to widen your service,' Biden said and he past chuckled. 'Forgive me. You put your ain plans connected hold. You didn't hesitate.'

Biden, past year, asked Stoltenberg to walk different twelvemonth connected nan job, which he agreed to do. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, voted connected by NATO leaders, will win him, taking complete connected October 1st. 

The taxable of nan invited ceremonial was nan value and spot of NATO. 

In his remarks, Biden noted that 'today NATO is much powerful than ever: 32 nations strong.' Sweden and Finland joined nan group past year.

But Biden besides issued a connection of informing astir nan threat of autocrats. His informing comes arsenic his chap NATO leaders are worried astir the possibility of Donald Trump winning nan 2024 statesmanlike election.

'Autocrats person overturned world order,' he noted.

Biden has made 'restoring America's spot successful nan world' a awesome argumentation level aft Donald Trump's years of isolationist policy. 

'Remember, NATO's characteristic is fundamentally democratic. Always has been and ever must proceed to beryllium today. NATO is amended assets than it ever has been,' he said successful his remarks. 

Trump has suggested that successful a 2nd word he would not take sides NATO friends who didn't salary their afloat dues - 2% of their respective GDP. The erstwhile president besides has questioned nan magnitude of assistance to nan Ukraine.

Both of these prospects person made NATO leaders uneasy.

Biden noted that he has gotten much NATO members to summation their dues.

'The twelvemonth 2020 twelvemonth was nan twelvemonth I was elected president. Only 9 NATO friends are spending 2% of their defense GDP,' he said. 'This twelvemonth 23 will walk astatine slightest 2%.'

'And immoderate will walk much than that. And nan remaining countries that person not yet reached that milestone will get there. This is singular progress. Proof our committedness is wide and deep.'

Biden besides announced nan U.S. and further NATO friends will nonstop Ukraine dozens of aerial defense systems successful nan coming months, including astatine slightest 4 of nan powerful Patriot systems that Kyiv has been seeking. 

'Russia will not prevail,' nan president said.

'Ukraine tin and will extremity Putin,' Biden noted.

The U.S., Germany and Romania will nonstop Ukraine further Patriot batteries, while nan Netherlands and others will supply Patriot components to dress up 1 much battery. Italy will supply a SAMP-T aerial defense system.

Other allies, including Canada, Norway, Spain and nan United Kingdom, will supply a number of different systems that will thief Ukraine grow its coverage. Those systems see NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS and Gepards. And different nations person agreed to supply munitions for those systems.

Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky connected Thursday connected nan sidelines of nan NATO summit. 

The invited ceremonial connected Tuesday began pinch a video connected nan history of nan confederation and nan important domiciled it has planned successful Europe successful nan past 75 years pinch nan narrator calling it 'the astir powerful confederation successful quality history.'

The video touched connected nan autumn of nan Berlin Wall and nan September 11th attacks.  

'True relationship is much than a committedness much than conscionable signatures connected a portion of paper. It's a measurement of navigating life and erstwhile you show yourself arsenic worthy of existent friendship, it draws others pinch that aforesaid consciousness of committedness to your side,' nan narrator said.

Members of nan subject sang a melody of and warfare songs. All nan flags of nan NATO nations were connected display. And a chorus of bugles played nan leaders out. 

The White House brought successful Hollywood heavyweights Ron Howard and Brian Grazer to nutrient nan event, which featured nan euphony of celebrated composer Hans Zimmerman.

The gathering of nan leaders from nan 32 NATO countries — positive Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, arsenic good arsenic Ukraine — is expected to beryllium 1 of Biden's past appearances astatine an world forum earlier Election Day.

It besides comes earlier nan Republican National Convention successful Milwaukee adjacent week. 

But, successful a reminder of his age, Biden is nan only caput of authorities who was live during NATO's founding.