Biden makes secret visit to Kyiv to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine

Biden’s mission in Kyiv was to emphasize that the United States was prepared to stay on Ukraine’s side “for as long as it takes” to fight back Russian forces.

KYIV, Ukraine — President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Monday to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky in solidarity days before the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country.

Speaking alongside Zelensky at the Mariinsky Palace, Biden recalled fears almost a year ago that Russian invading forces could quickly take the Ukrainian capital. “A year later, Kyiv is standing,” Biden said, pinching a finger to emphasize his podium, adorned with US and Ukrainian flags. “And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. The Americans support you and the whole world supports you.”

The visit to Ukraine comes at a defining moment in the war as Biden hopes to keep the Allies united in their support for Ukraine as the war is expected to escalate as both sides prepare for spring offensives. Zelensky is demanding that allies expedite the delivery of promised weapons systems and urging the West to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine — something Biden has so far refused.

In Kyiv, Biden announced half a billion dollars in additional US aid, including howitzer shells, anti-tank missiles, air surveillance radars and other aid, but no new advanced weaponry.

Zelensky said he and Biden talked about “long-range weapons and those weapons that can still be shipped to Ukraine, even if they haven’t been shipped before.” But he did not elaborate on the new commitments.

Biden also experienced firsthand the terror Ukrainians lived in for nearly a year when air raid sirens wailed over the capital as he and Zelenskiy exited the golden-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral they visited together. With a solemn look, they continued to calmly lay a wreath and honor the memory of Ukrainian soldiers who have died since 2014, and honor the Wall of Remembrance with a minute of silence.

Biden’s mission with his visit to Kiev, which precedes a planned trip to Warsaw, Poland, is to emphasize that the United States is willing to stay with Ukraine “for as long as it takes” to fight back against Russian forces, even as opinion polls show. . that U.S. and allied support for weapons and direct economic assistance has begun to wane. For Zelensky, the symbolism of the U.S. president standing side by side on Ukrainian soil as the anniversary approaches is no small feat, as it pushes American and European allies to provide more advanced weapons and speed up delivery.

“I thought it was very important that there be no doubt about US support for Ukraine in the war,” Biden said.

Biden’s visit marked an act of defiance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hoped his armed forces would quickly capture Kyiv within days. Biden recalled a conversation with Zelensky on the night of the invasion: “On that dark night a year ago, the world was literally preparing for the fall of Kyiv. Perhaps even the end of Ukraine.”

A year later, the Ukrainian capital remains firmly under Ukrainian control, and a semblance of normalcy has returned to the city as fighting has centered in the country’s east, accompanied by cruise missile and drone strikes against military and civilian infrastructure.

Biden warned that the “cruel and unjust war” was far from being won. “The price that Ukraine had to bear was extremely high. And the sacrifices were too great,” Biden said. “We know that very difficult days, weeks and years are ahead of us. But Russia’s goal was to wipe Ukraine off the map. Putin’s war of conquest is failing.”

“He’s counting on us not sticking together,” Biden said of the Russian leader. “He thought he could outlive us. I don’t think he’s thinking about it right now. God knows what he’s thinking, but I don’t think he thinks like that. But he was just wrong. Completely wrong.”

The trip gave Biden the opportunity to see firsthand the devastation the Russian invasion has inflicted on Ukraine. Thousands of Ukrainian servicemen and civilians were killed, millions of refugees fled the war, and Ukraine suffered tens of billions of dollars worth of infrastructure damage.

Biden promises long-term support for Ukraine, saying “freedom is priceless. It’s worth fighting for as long as it takes.”

“And that’s how long we will be with you, Mr. President, as long as it takes,” Biden promised. Zelensky, speaking in English, replied: “We will do it.”

Although Western anti-aircraft missile systems have bolstered Ukraine’s defenses, the visit was a rare occasion when a US president was in a conflict zone where the US or its allies did not control the airspace. It was not immediately clear whether the US had given advance notice of the trip to Moscow to avoid any miscalculation that could lead to direct conflict between the two nuclear powers.

The US military has no presence in Ukraine other than a small detachment of Marines guarding the embassy in Kiev, making Biden’s visit more challenging than other recent visits by previous US leaders to war zones.

While Biden was in Ukraine, U.S. spy planes, including an E-3 Sentry airborne radar and an RC-135W Rivet Joint electronically controlled aircraft, monitored Kiev from Polish airspace.

Rumors have circulated for weeks that Biden would pay a visit to Ukraine around February 24, the anniversary of the Russian invasion. But the White House has repeatedly said that a presidential visit to Ukraine is not planned, even after a visit to Poland was announced earlier this month.

Since early Monday morning, many central streets and central quarters of Kyiv have been cordoned off without any official explanation. Later, people began to share videos of long motorcades of cars driving through streets where access was restricted.

At the White House, planning for Biden’s visit to Kyiv was carefully held back – a relatively small group of aides were informed of the plans – for security reasons. The President traveled with a usually small entourage, with only a few senior aides and two journalists, to maintain secrecy.

Asked by a reporter Friday if Biden could include stops outside of Poland, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby replied, “Right now the trip will be to Warsaw.” Moments later—and without prompting—Kirby added, “I said right now.” The trip will be to — to Warsaw. I didn’t want it to sound like I was hinting at his change.”

Biden took off quietly from Joint Base Andrews near Washington shortly at 4:15 a.m. Sunday, stopping at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany before heading to Ukraine. He arrived in Kyiv at 8 am on Monday.

Other Western leaders have been coming to Kyiv since the beginning 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 to meet with Zelensky. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv in November shortly after taking office.

This is Biden’s 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 presidencies to meet with US troops and leaders from those countries.

Madhani and Miller reported from Washington.

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