US President Biden Pays Surprise Visit To Kyiv — His First To Ukraine Since Putin’s Invasion Last Year

By Edward Era Barbacena

US President Joe Biden met his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday — marking the U.S. president’s first visit to Ukraine since Vladimir Putin‘s invasion began In February last year. 

What Happened: Biden said his visit to the war-torn nation is aimed at reaffirming America’s “unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”

“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 in a statement published by the White House.

“Today, in Kyiv, I am meeting with President Zelenskyy and his team for an extended discussion on our support for Ukraine. 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 added. 

“And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.”

Ahead of his visit, Biden had tweeted, “As we approach the anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I’m in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”