>> reporter: the president insisting the men who died on those beaches 80 years ago would want america to defend ukraine now in its war against russia. >> they stood against hitler's aggression. does anyone doubt -- does anyone doubt that they would want america to stand up against putin's aggression here in europe today? >> reporter: earlier, biden meeting with ukrainian president zelenskyy, apologizing for the delay in approving new military aid and blaming republicans. >> i apologize for the weeks of not knowing what's going to happen in terms of funding. some of our very conservative members were holding it up, but we got it done finally. >> reporter: for biden, the war in ukraine, the path towards re-establishing the united states as the leader of the free world. >> my fellow americans, i refuse to believe -- i simply refuse to believe that america's greatness is a thing of the past. >> reporter: the president today