US President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on February 20, 2023, days before the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“That support will endure”
“I’m in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelensky and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Biden wrote on Twitter. “Over the last year, the US has built a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support – and that support will endure.”
$500 million in aid
Biden announced a further $500 million package of aid for Ukraine, including more ammunition for HIMARS rocket systems, Daily Maverick reported, citing Reuters. “I knew I would be back,” Biden said, noting he had visited Kyiv six times as vice president.
“Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy said.
Sirens
Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv during the visit, though there were no reports of Russian strikes. The visit fell on the day Ukraine commemorates the Heavenly Hundred, the protesters killed during the 2014 Maidan revolution.
It was Biden’s first visit to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began. The United States is Ukraine’s largest supplier of military aid.
Sources
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