US President Biden visits Kyiv to meet President Zelensky during an unannounced trip to Ukraine
Joe Biden visited Kyiv on Monday, February 20, as he made a surprise visit to Ukraine in order to meet president Volodymir Zelensky, ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion.
According to Reuters, Biden walked through the centre of Kyiv along with Zelensky as air raid sirens were turned on across the city.
Both then entered the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral, as burnt Russian tanks stood outside the building, from the time Kyiv was attacked by Russian forces.
“When (Russian President Vladimir) 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”, said Biden.
He added, “The cost that Ukraine has had to pay is extraordinarily high. Sacrifices have been far too great … We know that there will be difficult days and weeks and years ahead”.
Biden also promised more military aid worth $500 million (€468 million), which will include artillery ammunition, anti-armour systems and air defence radars.
Speaking to the press Zelensky said, “This visit of the U.S. president to Ukraine, the first for 15 years, is the most important visit in the entire history of Ukraine-U.S. relations”.
Reports also stated that before the U.S. president departed, Russia was notified of his visit by officials in Washington, to avoid any risk of attacks in Kyiv.
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