U.S. President Joe Biden makes shock go to to Kyiv forward of 1-year Ukraine struggle anniversary

Feb. 20 (UPI) — U.S. President Joe Biden departed Kyiv on Monday after spending a number of hours with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, strolling across the central portion of the capital and pledging further assist.

It was Biden’s first go to to the nation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began practically one 12 months in the past. Biden, Zelensky and their groups discussed future support for Ukraine in the course of the Russian struggle.

“This dialog brings us nearer to victory,” Zelensky mentioned, standing subsequent to Biden. “The outcomes of this go to will certainly be seen and can absolutely have repercussions on the battlefield in liberating our territories.”

Biden praised Zelensky and Ukraine for his or her willpower to maintain from falling to Russia over the previous 12 months.

“Unchecked aggression is a menace to all of us,” Biden said. “One 12 months later, Kyiv stands and Ukraine stands. Democracy stands, Individuals stand with you and the world stands with you. Kyiv has captured part of my coronary heart.”

Biden’s journey marked the primary time in fashionable U.S. historical past {that a} president entered a struggle zone with no lively U.S. army presence. Ukrainian authorities had shut down a lot of central Kyiv for the go to.

“Russian planes had been within the air and tanks had been rolling throughout your border,” Biden mentioned to Zelensky. “You instructed me you could possibly hear explosions within the background, I will always remember that. And the world was about to alter. I keep in mind it vividly.”

The Division of Protection authorized extra assist for Ukraine on Monday. America will ship further ammunition for the Lockheed Martin HIMARS, a long-range rocket launcher, in addition to howitzers.

Moreover, the Biden Administration accepted a provide of Javelin missiles, anti-armor rockets, artillery rounds, mortar rounds, evening imaginative and prescient units, air surveillance radar methods and extra.

The newest munitions authorization is valued at an estimated $460 million, the division mentioned.

The bundle can be the thirty second drawdown of U.S. arms and gear for Ukraine since August of 2021.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday additionally approved an extra $10 million to assist ongoing emergency help to assist the war-torn nation’s power infrastructure amid its focusing on by Kremlin forces.

Biden’s journey stunned many, accomplished earlier than his deliberate journey to NATO ally Poland. He solely confirmed the journey early Monday in a White House statement.

“When [Russian President Vladimir] Putin launched his invasion practically one 12 months in the past, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he might outlast us. However he was useless improper,” Biden mentioned within the assertion.

White Home officers described the journey to reporters as “historic” and “unprecedented” that sends the message of Biden’s dedication to the Ukrainian folks.

“He wished to face shoulder-to-shoulder with President Zelensky and remind the world, as we strategy the one-year anniversary of the invasion, that Kyiv nonetheless stands and america won’t be deterred from standing with Ukraine,” White Home Communications Director Kate Bedingfield mentioned via teleconference.

Zelensky posted a photograph of him and Biden shaking palms in Kyiv on Telegram.

“Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your go to is an especially vital signal of assist for all Ukrainians,” Zelensky mentioned.

Biden mentioned he talked with Zelensky and his administration about new assist: “one other supply of essential gear, together with artillery ammunition, anti-armor methods, and air surveillance radars to assist defend the Ukrainian folks from aerial bombardments.”

Biden mentioned extra sanctions on Russia are coming, as nicely.

“We are going to announce further sanctions in opposition to elites and corporations which are attempting to evade or backfill Russia’s struggle machine,” he mentioned.

White Home officers mentioned the journey was meticulously deliberate during the last a number of months, with Biden giving the ultimate log out on it on Friday from the Oval Office.

Russia was notified of the journey “some hours earlier than his departure for de-confliction functions,” White Home nationwide safety advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned.

“I will not get into how they responded or what the exact nature of our message was, however I can affirm that we supplied that notification,” he mentioned.

The shock go to got here to an finish late Monday with Biden touring from Kyiv to Poland’s Rzeszw-Jasionka Airport, the place he arrived at 10:04 p.m., native time, and boarded Air Force One for the roughly 50-minute flight to Warsaw.

Biden landed in Warsaw at 11:13 p.m. for his two-day go to to Poland, the place Sullivan mentioned the president will reiterate the purpose he made throughout his secret journey — which is that the democratic world stands collectively in opposition to Russia’s aggression.

“President [Vladimir] Putin thought that Ukraine would cower and that the West can be divided, certainly that the West can be weak,” Sullivan mentioned. “And he bought the other of that throughout the board.”