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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Alahna Kindred

Joe Biden scoffs pizza with US troops in Poland but blocked from visiting Ukraine

US President Joe Biden was snapped chomping down on pizza with US troops near the Ukrainian border.

The 46th President landed in Rzeszow, Poland today to take stock of how Ukrainian refugees have been helped and to speak to his troops at NATO' s eastern flank.

His stop was to meet with soldiers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division stationed near the airport where he stopped to have a bite.

TV footage showed him scoffing down a pepperoni pizza and chatting with several military personnel.

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US President Joe Biden eats a pizza as he meets with service members from the 82nd Airborne Division (AFP via Getty Images)

But Biden complained he was blocked from crossing the border to Ukraine.

In an emotional speech, he also mentioned his grandfather and his late son Beau Biden who was an Iraq War veteran.

"Like you, he didn't have to go either... the point is there are hundreds of thousands of people like my son, like all of you, so thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you," he said.

"We have a sacred obligation in this government... to equip those we send to war and to care for them and their families when they come home," he said.

Biden meets with his troops near Rzeszow, Poland (REUTERS)

It comes as Biden was due to be briefed on the humanitarian response to help civilians sheltering from Russian attacks inside Ukraine and to respond to the growing flow of refugees fleeing Ukraine.

Biden told reporters in Brussels yesterday that his visit to Poland will "reinforce my commitment to have the United States make sure we are a major piece of dealing with the relocation of all those folks, as well as humanitarian assistance needed both inside Ukraine and outside Ukraine."

The US President is due to travel to Warsaw to have talks with Poland's President Andrzej Duda.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to the United States and its allies could still impose new measures to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

During an emergency NATO summit in Brussels yesterday, leaders agreed to step up measures to protect Ukraine and members of the 30-country alliance from a Russian chemical or nuclear attack.

Biden spent time about 62 miles from the Ukrainian with US troops from the 82nd Airborne Division (AFP via Getty Images)

Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels: "Today we agreed to do more including cyber-security assistance and equipment to help Ukraine protect against biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear threats."

This could include detection equipment, protection and medical supplies, as well as training for decontamination and "crisis management".

Mr Stoltenberg said Nato's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence elements had been activated and "we are taking measures both to support Ukraine and to defend ourselves".

Biden disembarks Air Force One at Rzeszow Airport after travelling from Brussels (Getty Images)

Asked whether the move was based on credible intelligence, Mr Stoltenberg said: "We are concerned, partly because we see the rhetoric and we see that Russia is trying to create some kind of pretext - accusing Ukraine, the United States, Nato allies - for preparing to use chemical and biological weapons."

Earlier Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO chiefs to send tanks and warplanes to his war-torn country so forces can repel Russian invaders.

In a passionate video link plea to an emergency summit at the coalition’s headquarters, he warned leaders from the organisation’s 30 member countries that delays to vital equipment were costing lives.

He fumed: “You have thousands of fighter jets but we haven't been given any yet.

“We asked for tanks so that we can unblock our cities that are now dying - Mariupol, Berdyansk, Melitopol, others - cities where Russia is keeping hundreds of thousands of people hostage and artificially creating famine; no water, no food, nothing there.

“You have at least 20,000 tanks; Ukraine asked for a per cent - one per cent of all your tanks to be given or sold to us - but we do not have a clear answer yet.

“The worst thing during the war is not having clear answers to requests for help.”

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