Biden's handling of Russia will be a positive aspect of his State of the Union address.

• The U.S.-led response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine could revitalize President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
• The other major theme of the speech: Biden’s economic agenda.

On Tuesday evening, President Joe Biden will deliver his first official State of the Union address, with the global response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine likely to dominate the speech, overshadowing his economic agenda.

White House aides revealed that Biden and his team spent months developing the economic agenda section of his hourlong speech. The resulting argument is a compelling one, showcasing the robust recovery of the US economy in the past year.

In contrast, aides had only days to prepare his remarks on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which is rapidly evolving.

In a typical year, a presidential speech on the country's economic recovery and future domestic plans would be more effective in winning over American voters than a speech about a distant war.

But this year is different.

Voters still don’t see the economic recovery

Biden will be addressing an electorate that consistently feels disconnected from the economic recovery that he has overseen in his first year in office.

In the past year, the U.S. economy has experienced the most rapid job growth and economic growth since the 1980s.

Last week, a Washington Post ABC poll revealed that 75% of Americans considered the economy to be in a subpar state.

For months, Biden has maintained that America is experiencing unprecedented economic expansion, which has been supported by the data.

Despite failing to resonate with voters, a majority of whom feel pessimistic about the economy and frustrated by high inflation, the government remains committed to its economic policies.

On Tuesday, Biden will address the anxieties related to the issue, but he will not present any new solutions.

Biden will urge Congress to pass various components of his "Build Back Better" plan without mentioning the failed bill by name.

Late last year, West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's concern over rising inflation clashed with Biden's aspiration to pass a once-in-a-generation social safety net expansion. Manchin withdrew his support for the bill, which had already passed the House, citing inflation as the reason.

According to a White House fact sheet, Biden will make at least 10 calls to Congress in his Tuesday address to push for various proposals, including increased funding for Pell grants, a $15 minimum wage, and paid family leave.

Biden's call for action from the Senate and House underscores the challenges he faces in passing his legislative agenda.

A decisive response

In Ukraine, 6,000 miles away, Biden's domestic policy agenda is not facing the same intraparty squabbles as it is in the US.

Biden and his foreign policy team are spearheading the global effort to strengthen the NATO alliance and confront Russian President Vladimir Putin's challenge to the rules-based international order, which has kept Europe peaceful for almost 80 years.

In Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, tens of thousands of Russian troops surrounded the city on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, Russian forces shelled a public square in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, resulting in the deaths of hundreds.

A coalition of democracies worldwide has united to impose strict limits on Russia's central bank and penalize its wealthiest individuals, airlines, and state-owned media in retaliation to the invasion.

The objective is to separate Moscow and impose a significant financial burden on the Kremlin for initiating an unwanted conflict.

The United States, led by Biden, has been a key member of this coalition, comprising G-7 members, NATO allies, wealthy nations like Japan, and developing countries such as Ghana, as well as traditionally neutral countries like Switzerland and Monaco.

Biden will discuss the measures taken to aid the Ukrainian people through military and economic support, as well as the steps he has taken to establish a global coalition imposing crippling financial sanctions on Putin, his associates, and the Russian economy, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Biden will emphasize the significance of the US as a global leader and upholding values and norms, according to her Monday statement to reporters.

In the past week, Biden has made numerous calls with U.S. and NATO allies to discuss support for Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia.

He has also deployed thousands of U.S. troops to bolster the defense of NATO states that face the greatest immediate threat from Russia.

Biden's secretaries of state and defense have requested and distributed hundreds of millions of dollars worth of additional weapons to Ukrainian troops and humanitarian aid to refugees fleeing the front lines.

The coordinated effort of the U.S. military, diplomacy, economy, and humanitarian aid has garnered praise from both Democrats and Republicans for Biden.

Bill Kristol, a conservative intellectual, tweeted on Monday that President Biden's leadership in the Ukraine crisis has been truly impressive.

Support for Ukraine and opposition to Russia's invasion is gaining momentum among Americans of all political backgrounds, according to early polls.

It is uncommon for Republican voters to support Biden's stance on any issue, especially given that the previous Republican president, Donald Trump, was a fervent supporter and defender of Putin.

Biden will give the annual speech at 9 p.m. in person at the Capitol, attended by both chambers of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and his Cabinet.