Biden lands in Kyiv for surprise visit for first anniversary of Russia’s invasion: President tells Putin his war is ‘failing’ and gives Zelensky $500 million more in new weapons as air raid sirens blare around Ukraine’s capital
- Biden said: ‘One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands.’
- The U.S. president made surprise visit ahead of planned trip to Warsaw, Poland
- He said he was sending $500 million more of military assistance
President Joe Biden arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning on a surprise days before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and declared that Vladimir Putin had failed in his ‘war of conquest.’
His visit was shrouded in secrecy. He arrived after the hourslong train journey from Poland with a stripped down press traveling pool of just one reporter and a photographer.
Air raid sirens blared across the besieged Ukrainian capital although there were no reports of Russian missile or air strikes.
He met with President Zelensky at the Mariinsky Palace and announced half a billion dollars in extra assistance, including artillery, ammunition, more Javelins and Howitzers, as well as more sanctions on Russia to follow.
In a speech, Biden said: ‘One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands.’
He said Putin had miscalculated.
‘Russia’s aim was to wipe Ukraine off the map,’ he said. ‘Putin’s war of conquest is failing. Russia’s military has lost half the territory it once occupied.
He commended Ukraine’s courage during the war and said he had visited Kyiv six times as vice president.
‘I knew I would be back,’ he said.
The president was due to leave Washington on Monday evening for a two-day visit to Poland where he will meet Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw for discussions over a potential increase in US troops there.
In its official guidance, the White House said he would leave at 7pm on Monday evening.
Instead he was making a secret flight to see the conflict for himself and deliver a message of unity. He arrived in the city at about 8am local time.
Zelensky welcomed Biden to Kyiv, saying: ‘Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians.’
He is pushing allies to speed up delivery of weapons and is asking for fighter jets, a demand that Biden has so far refused.
‘Our negotiations were very fruitful,’ Zelensky said after their meeting.
From there, the two leaders went on a downtown walkabout to honor fallen Ukrainian soldiers before Biden met U.S. embassy staff. He left the city about five hours after arriving.
