Feb. 20 (UPI) — President Joe Biden arrived in Kyiv on Monday for a surprise visit to show solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion approaches.
Biden confirmed his trip to the Ukrainian capital in a White House statementearly Monday morning.
“As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelensky and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Biden said.
“When [Russian President Vladimir] 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.”
Zelensky posted a photo of him and Biden shaking hands in Kyiv on Telegram.
“Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
Biden said he entered into talks with Zelensky and his team about extending United States’ support for the country as the Russian invasion endures. He also said his administration would add new sanctions against Moscow.
“I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” Biden said.
“We will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.”
Biden called aid already rendered to Ukraine and its allies “unprecedented.” That aid includes not only military help, but economic and humanitarian support.
Biden had been scheduled to visit neighboring Poland this week, a NATO ally and supporter of Ukraine to discuss “collective efforts to support Ukraine and bolster NATO’s deterrence,” the White House said.
“I also look forward to traveling on to Poland to meet President [Andrzej] Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the U.N. Charter that unite us worldwide,” Biden said.
