President Biden arrived in Ukraine on Monday on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of the country — and declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “war of conquest is failing.”
Biden delivered remarks at Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv to announce an additional half-billion dollars in assistance and to reassure Ukraine of US and allied support.
“One year later, Kyiv stands, Ukraine stands, Democracy stands,” he said. “The Americans stand with you and the world stands with you.”
Biden emphasized that “it’s not just about freedom in Ukraine … it’s about freedom of democracy at large.”
He said: “Putin’s war of conquest is failing. Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us. I don’t think he’s thinking that right now.
Biden said the Russian strongman had been “just been plain wrong.”
“One year later, the evidence is right here in this room. We stand here together,” he said.
He added: “I thought it was critical that there not be any doubt, none whatsoever, about
US support for Ukraine in the war. The Ukrainian people have stepped up in a way that few people ever have in the past.”
The commander in chief arrived in the capital city — where he was greeted by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink — at 1 a.m. ET, saying, “It’s good to be back in Kyiv.”
He noted that the visit is his eighth to the city.
“Each time more significant,” Biden said, adding that he decided to visit this time to make it clear to Zelensky that the US is “here to stay.”
“We’re not leaving,” Biden said.
Zelensky said he and Biden discussed long-range weapons during the visit.
“Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians,” he told his US counterpart.
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The two leaders later went to the gold-domed St. Michael’s Church, where they paid their respects to those who lost their lives in the conflict – and then left shortly before air raid sirens sounded.
Biden is traveling with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O’Malley Dillon and personal aide Annie Tomasini, according to CNN.
Air Force One took off in secret from Joint Base Andrews at 4:15 a.m. ET Sunday after speculation mounted for weeks that Biden would pay a visit to Ukraine around the Feb. 24 anniversary of the Russian invasion.
But the White House had insisted that no presidential trip to Ukraine was planned.
The surprise visit also marks an act of defiance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had hoped his military would overrun Kyiv in a matter of days.
The White House said Biden would announce more sanctions on Moscow and military support for Ukraine, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems and air surveillance radars.
With Post Wires