President Joe Biden made a surprise trip to Ukraine to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion, pledging additional support from the US to the war-stricken nation.
In his first visit to the country since the start of the war, the US president touched down in Kyiv at around 8am local time on Monday morning.
There, he was greeted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before the two leaders spoke about the allegiance between their nations and announced America’s new wave of sanctions on Russia and a half-billion dollar investment to aid Ukraine.
“I think that is a historical moment for our country,” Mr Zelensky said of America’s ongoing support for Ukraine.
“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Mr Biden said.
The president had planned a trip to Poland to meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda this week but – due to obvious security concerns – the visit to Ukraine was kept a closely-guarded secret until now.
In total, the visit lasted around five hours before Mr Biden travelled on to Poland.
Here’s what we know about the historic visit:
The visit to Kyiv
In a surprise move, Mr Biden touched down in Kyiv at around 8am local time.
The president was welcomed on arrival by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, with Mr Biden saying: “It’s good to be back in Kyiv.”
This marks Mr Biden’s eighth visit to Ukraine, his last coming in 2017 while he was vice president to Barack Obama.
On arrival, Mr Biden travelled straight to Mariinsky Palace where he was warmly greeted by Mr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska.
The two leaders hugged and shook each other’s hands, with Mr Zelensky saying: “Thank you for coming.”
“More importantly, how are the children?” Mr Biden asked, while adding: “It’s amazing to see you.”
Ms Zelensky asked how First Lady Jill Biden was, to which Mr Biden responded: “She’s doing well. She’s still teaching.”
The two leaders then entered the palace where Mr Zelensky was introduced to the small group of US officials travelling with Mr Biden including assistant to the president for National Security Affairs Jake Sullivan.
Mr Biden also met several top Ukrainian officials including Deputy prime minister Oleksandr Kubrakov and Minister of foreign affairs Dmytro Kuleba.
The two leaders then held a meeting inside the palace before leaving around two hours later and heading to St. Michael’s Gold-Domed Cathedral in central Kyiv – a building which has long been a symbol of Ukrainian resistance after it sheltered protesters from police acting under a Kremlin-backed president in 2013.
There, the two leaders chatted and walked side by side around the outside of the building as air raid sirens rung out over the capital city – a stark reminder of the ongoing war.
After stepping inside for a few minutes, the pair then laid a wreath and took a moment of silence at the Wall of Remembrance for the Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers so far killed defending their country from Vladimir Putin’s forces.
Just five hours after arriving, Mr Biden left Ukraine to travel to Poland.
Purpose of visit
Speaking to reporters, Mr Biden said that the historic visit was to show that the US is “here to stay” in its support of Ukraine.
“We’re not leaving,” he said, saying that each of his visits to the country had proven “more significant” than the last.
During a meeting inside the palace, Mr Zelensky described the visit as a “huge moment for Ukraine”.
“Thank you so much for coming Mr President at a huge moment for Ukraine,” he siad.
“What can I say, I really appreciate that President Biden, American society have been from the very beginning… of this war have been together with us.”
Turning to Mr Biden, he said: “Thank you for your leadership.”
“All the thanks to Congress. I think that is a historical moment for our country,” he said of the US’s support for Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky said he looked forward to discussing “the situation on the battlefield” with Mr Biden “but we will also speak about the people, about Ukranians, about Americans … what we have to do to stop the war, to have success in this war …and how to win this year.”
Mr Biden spoke of the US’s “unwavering support” for Ukraine saying “it was important that the President of the United States be here the day that the attack began.
“I thought it was critical that there not be any doubt, none whatsoever, about US support for Ukraine in the war,” he said.
“The Ukrainian people have stepped up in a way that few people ever have in the past.”
The president described the fight for Ukraine’s freedom from Russia as “about freedom of democracy at large”.
“It’s not just about freedom in Ukraine … It’s about freedom of democracy at large,” he said.
He told reporters and the Ukrainian president that support of the nation is something that America is united behind.
“For all the disagreement we have in our Congress on some issues, there is significant agreement on support for Ukraine,” he said.
“So many have kept the Ukrainian people, particularly women and children, in their prayers,” he continued about the American people.
“They can’t fathom the idea of the shelling of everything from orphanages to schools to the like. It’s barbaric.
“I’m here to show our unwavering support for the nation’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
New action from US
During the visit, Mr Biden announced further US aid to Ukraine as the war enters its second year.
The US president pledged a half-billion dollars of additional military aid which will include more equipment, including artillery ammunition, more javelins and Howitzers.
The US is also issuing a fresh wave of sanctions on Russian elites and companies.
Standing side by side with Mr Zelensky, Mr Biden said that “Putin’s war of conquest is failing” and that both Ukraine and the West had proven him wrong.
“Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” he said.
“He thought he could outlast us. I don’t think he’s thinking that right now.”
He added of Mr Putin: “He’s just been plain wrong. One year later, the evidence is right here in this room. We stand here together.”
In a White House statement, the president said he was “meeting with President Zelenskyy and his team for an extended discussion on our support for Ukraine. I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments.
“And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.
“Over the last year, the United States 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.”
Announcing the additional assistance, Mr Zelensky said that he and Mr Biden had also spoken about the potential supply of “long range weapons and the weapons that may still be supplied to Ukraine even though it wasn’t supplied before”.
The visit to Poland
Mr Biden will now spend two days in Poland where he will hold talks with European allies and deliver remarks on the US’s support of Ukraine.
In a White House statement, he said: “I also look forward to traveling on to Poland to meet President Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the UN Charter that unite us worldwide.”
The historic visit comes just days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country on 24 February.
