President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine on Monday ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country. During his visit, Biden announced $500 million of additional assistance to Ukraine.
The POTUS was seen walking across the Ukrainian capital with the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as air raid sirens sounded in the area. The somber occasion was recorded in a video that has gone viral on Twitter.
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Watch the video below:
🚨#BREAKING: President Biden visits Kyiv ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As air raid sirens sound off pic.twitter.com/zsgpdyVXn3
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) February 20, 2023
This is the US president’s first visit to the country since Russian troops invaded on February 24, 2022. As uniformed Ukrainian military officers stood guard along the streets, Biden and Zelensky walked ahead side-by-side together and laid a wreath at the Wall of Remembrance for the fallen heroes of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The two world leaders stared down in silence for a few moments as a military salute played.
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Next, Biden promised an “unflagging commitment” to defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity. “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,” he was quoted as saying in a White House statement.
More video shows President Joe Biden Walks with Zelenskiy in Ukraine in his previously unannounced visit. pic.twitter.com/a3yTgfLp8P
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) February 20, 2023
Zelensky hailed Biden’s visit as a major sign of support from the United States. “Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians,” Zelensky said on Telegram in English.
Historic. Timely. Brave. I welcomed @POTUS in Kyiv as Russian full-scale aggression approaches its one-year mark. I am thankful to the U.S. for standing with Ukraine and for our strong partnership. We are determined to work together to ensure Ukraine’s victory. pic.twitter.com/EPtH3fLWWD
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 20, 2023
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The U.S. has claimed that China was considering sending arms to Russia to assist in its war in Ukraine, a claim that has been slammed bu Beijing. “It is the United States and not China that is endlessly shipping weapons to the battlefield,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. “We urge the United States to earnestly reflect on its own actions, and do more to alleviate the situation, promote peace and dialogue, and stop shifting blame and spreading false information,” he told a regular briefing.