US President Joe Biden made A surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv Monday just days of first holiday of Russians invasion.
Biden delivered remarks and met with Zelensky at the Mariinsky Palace to announce an extra half-Billion dollar in Help the United States and reassure Ukraine of America and allies support As the conflict continues.
“One year Later, Kyiv Situations. And Ukraine stands. “Democracy is in place,” Biden said.
The visit to Ukraine comes at a crucial moment in War as Biden looks to keep allies united in they support for Ukraine, where the war is expected to intensify with Both sides are getting ready for Spring attacks.
Zelensky is putting pressure on the allies speed up delivery of Pledge Weapons Systems Invites on The West delivers fighter jets to Ukraine – something Biden has so far declined to do.
Biden mission with his visit to Kyiv – Then Warsaw – to confirm that the United States is ready to stay with Ukraine “as long as” to push back even Russian forces public Opinion polls show that the United States and its allies support for The provision of arms and direct economic aid began to wane.
For Zelenskyy, symbolism of Presence of the President of the United States side by side with for him on Ukrainian land with the approaching anniversary is not small The very thing that the United States and European allies are urged to provide more advanced weapons and step up the pace of delivery.
the visit also It gives Biden an opportunity to take a first-hand look at the Russian devastation invasion he have caused in Ukraine. thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians were killed, millions of Refugees fled the war, and Ukraine suffered dozens of Billions of dollar of Infrastructure damage.
the journey also represents a verb of the challenge against Your Excellency, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who He hoped for him military It will sweep quickly Kyiv Within days.
a year Later, the Ukrainian capital stands and looks like of Normal life has returned city With the fighting raging in east of the country, punctuated by attacks by cruise missiles and drones against military and civil infrastructure.
everyone-out support
Biden also I got short firstHand bait of the terror That the Ukrainians lived with for close to a yearlike air Sirens howl raids over Capital just As he and Zelensky were leaving Zara Cathedral together. They looked solemnly, and continued to stand without concern in Before of a wall Ukrainian tribute soldiers killed since 2014.
Although the western surface of -air The missile systems have bolstered Ukraine’s defences, and the visit marked a rare occasion in which a US president traveled to a conflict zone where neither the US nor its allies had control. over Airspace.
It wasn’t right away clear Whether the United States gave advance notice of The flight to Moscow avoid Any miscalculation could lead the two nuclear-armed states into direct conflict.
United State military He has no presence in Ukraine other than a small Separation of Marines guard the embassy in KyivMaking Biden visit more complicated Compared to other visits by former US leaders to war zones.
speculation was building for Weeks from Biden’s visit to Ukraine on the 24th anniversary of February of Russians invasion. But the White House has repeatedly said that no presidential trip to Ukraine is planned, even after visiting Poland announced earlier this month.
In the White House, planning for Biden’s visit Kyiv grabbed tightly – with relatively small group of He briefed his aides on the plans – because of Security concerns.
In response to a question by a reporter on White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded Friday that if Biden might include stops outside Poland, “Right now, the trip would be in Warsaw. Moments later – and without prompting – Kirby added’Now,’ I said. It’s going to be the trip in – to Warsaw. I was not want to be made sound like I was hinting at a change in that.
Biden left quietly from Joint Base Andrews near Washington shortly after 4 a.m on Sunday, stop at Ramstein Air Base in Germany before it was made way in Ukraine.
Other Western leaders have done so made flight to Kyiv since start of the war.
In June, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi traveled together by night train to Kyiv In order to meet with Zelensky. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv in November shortly after taking office.
This is Biden first Visit to a war zone as president. His recent predecessors Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, made Surprise visits to Afghanistan and Iraq during their presidency of the meeting with American forces and those countriesleaders.
