US President Joe Biden has delivered the last State of the Union address of his first term. Biden wasted no time drawing a contrast with his Republican challenger Donald Trump ahead of a likely rematch in the November presidential election.

Speaking before a joint session of Congress on Thursday, Biden called out Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine and took a swipe at former President Trump.

He said: "Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself. Now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, 'Do whatever the hell you want.' A former American president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. It's outrageous. It's dangerous. It's unacceptable."
And on China, Biden touted his policy toward the country by comparing it to Trump's.

He said, "We're standing up against China's unfair economic practices. And standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. I've revitalized our partnerships and alliances in the Pacific -- India, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Pacific Islands. I've made sure that most advanced American technologies can't be used in China, not allowing to trade them there. Frankly for all his tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do any of that."

Biden also criticized the former president over his remarks on immigration.

He said: "I will not demonize immigrants, saying they are poisoning the blood of our country. I will not separate families, I will not ban people because of their faith."

On the Hamas-Israel conflict, Biden announced a new US plan to bolster humanitarian assistance for Gaza.

"Tonight, I'm directing the US military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments, carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters. No US boots will be on the ground."

The State of the Union was watched by what will likely be one of Biden's largest audiences in the months leading up to Election Day.