Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine, US President Joe Biden has landed in Kyiv on a surprise visit. This is his first visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded the European country on 24 February last year.
This development comes as he visited neighbouring Poland to hold talks with President Andrzej Duda. Upon his arrival, Joe Biden was seen with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The trip to Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Monday was made in a covert fashion by the US president. Biden along with other US officials took an hour-long train ride from the border of Poland to arrive in Kyiv. The visit was not disclosed citing security concerns.
US President Joe Biden during his visit to Ukraine vowed his "unflagging commitment" to the war-torn country. "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.
In reciprocity, Ukraine President Zelensky hailed Biden's visit as an "extremely important sign of support."
As per AFP news agency, air raid sirens were heard in Kyiv during Biden's visit. Biden was next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky coming out of a church when the sirens rang out, without causing any panic, the reports added.
Biden's visit to Ukraine was repeatedly denied by US officials earlier. In a White House press release, Biden confirmed that he will "announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armour systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments."
Moreover, he also pledged to announce additional sanctions later this week against elites and companies that are "trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine"
The release also confirmed that the US president will travel to Poland to meet President 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 UN Charter that unite us worldwide."
United States and the other European allies have ramped up their support for Ukraine in recent months. At the Munich Security Conference, the US formally declared that Russia has committed crimes against humanity. This visit is important abroad and holds great prominence as far as domestic politics is concerned.
The newly elected US House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, and some of his fellow Republican lawmakers have demanded an end to what they call “a blank check” for the war effort.
Biden's visit is also catching eye-balls as his visit comes when the war is active in Ukraine with attack and counterattack taking place from both sides. The US President is not being accompanied by the kind of American troops who were there while guarding the then US presidents when visited Iraq and Afghanistan.
Top US officials like US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also made a visit to Kyiv in September. Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, travelled to Ukraine in November.
