Biden mistakenly introduces Zelenskyy as Putin at NATO summit

US President Joe Biden mistakenly introduced Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as his Russian foe Vladimir Putin at a NATO summit Thursday in a blunder just hours before a press conference that could decide the fate of his reelection bid.

The 81-year-old quickly corrected himself, and Zelenskyy quipped that he was “better” than Putin, but the gaffe intensified concerns about Biden’s age and mental acuity after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump two weeks ago.

“And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said as he announced a NATO-Ukraine compact at the summit in Washington.

Biden turned away from the lectern before coming back and exclaiming: “President Putin! He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy -- I’m so focused on beating Putin we gotta worry about it. Anyway, Mr President.”

“‘I’m better,” replied Zelenskyy, a former television comedian turned Ukraine’s wartime leader against Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Biden’s Republican rivals were circulating the clip within minutes.

The verbal slip could not have come at a worse time as Biden is due later to give what the White House has called a “big boy” press conference on Thursday, his first major appearance since the debate.

The solo appearance, a rare unscripted encounter with reporters, comes amid growing calls in his Democratic Party for him to step aside.

The press conference was due to start at 6:30 pm (2230 GMT) but is expected to run around an hour late.

There has been a steady drumbeat of Democrats calling for Biden to abandon his 2024 candidacy.

Hollywood actor and well-connected Democratic supporter George Clooney called on Biden to exit the race, and party grandee Nancy Pelosi has stopped short of fully backing him.

Around 14 Democratic members of the House of Representatives have openly urged the man who beat Trump four years ago to drop out, along with one Democratic senator.

A poll released on Thursday showed more than half of Democrats say Biden should end his bid for a second term, and two-thirds of Americans believe he should quit the race.