Topline
President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday ahead of a planned trip to Poland, emphasizing the U.S.’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine and announcing additional military aid days ahead of the one year anniversary of the start of Russia’s invasion.
President Joe Biden visits St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky … [+]
Key Facts
Biden arrived in Kyiv Monday morning, after the White House previously denied he would be traveling there, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials.
Zelensky welcomed Biden in a message on Telegram, saying, “Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians,” and said in a press conference negotiations with Biden about military assistance had been “fruitful” and the president’s visit “will surely be seen and will surely have a reflection on the battlefield.”
Biden announced $500 million in additional military aid for Ukraine during his joint meeting with Zelensky and confirmed reports that the U.S. will issue more sanctions on Russia, emphasizing the U.S.’s commitment to Ukraine and telling Zelensky the U.S. “will be with you … for as long as it takes.”
Biden said on Twitter he was in Ukraine to meet with Zelensky “and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” adding during his press conference Monday that Kyiv had “captured a piece of his heart” in his visits there.
The U.S. president had harsh words for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying Russia was “failing” in the war, its economy was “now a backwater” and noting scores of Russians were now leaving the country “because they see no future in their country.”
Biden’s unanticipated trip came as he was already set to travel to Poland on Tuesday to meet with President Andrzej Duda to show support for Ukraine in the ongoing war, and there had been speculation earlier in the day in Kyiv that an important guest would be arriving, BBC News reports, amid a heavy police presence and closed roads in Kyiv.
Crucial Quote
“When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong,” Biden said on Twitter, adding the U.S. “has built a coalition of nations … to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support – and that support will endure.”
What To Watch For
February 24 will mark the one year since of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials believe Russia may be planning a major offensive for the one-year mark, which will also be observed internationally with speeches at the United Nations’ General Assembly and the expected passage of a new resolution urging “just and lasting peace” between the two nations.
Surprising Fact
Past visits by U.S. president to war zones have also been kept secret, NBC News notes, such as a visit by President Barack Obama to Afghanistan in 2014 and President George W. Bush’s visit to Iraq in 2003. If Russia had targeted Biden knowing he was visiting Ukraine, that could further aggravate the war by drawing the U.S. into the conflict, NBC notes.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/02/20/biden-in-ukraine-president-makes-surprise-visit-to-kyiv-ahead-of-war-anniversary/