New Delhi: As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, United States President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kiev on Monday (February 20, 2023) and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky . Biden wore his trademark aviator sunglasses and walked with Zelensky into a gold-domed cathedral in Kiev.
“When (Russian President Vladimir) Putin launched his invasion about a year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outrun us. But he was wrong,” he said during a trip to Kiev. But said in a statement.
Biden told Zelensky, “This is the largest land battle in Europe in three-quarters of a century, and you are succeeding against all and every expectation. We have every confidence that you will continue to win.” ,
A year later, Kiev stands. Ukraine is standing. Democracy stands. America and the world stand with Ukraine.
A year later, Kiev stands. Ukraine is standing. Democracy stands. America and the world stand with Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/6i02u3aFgd– President Biden (@POTUS) February 20, 2023
Zelensky said he was “very pleased” to welcome Biden to Ukraine and called it “truly the most important visit” in the entire history of Ukraine-US relations.
“This is the most difficult time for Ukraine to travel when Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, for the freedom of the world,” he said.
Hoping that this year will become a “year of victory”, he said, “this unprovoked and criminal war of Russia against Ukraine and against the entire world and the democratic world to free the entire territory of Ukraine from Russian occupation and concrete guarantees.” have to end with.” Long-term security for our country as well as for Europe and the whole world.”
Joe Biden’s trip to Ukraine took months to plan
White House officials and other agencies were intensively planning for Joe Biden to make an unannounced trip to Ukraine.
According to the White House, after months of planning, Biden decided to go to Ukraine on Friday.
White House officials said he was first taken to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington and flown on an Air Force plane at 4:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m. IST) on Sunday.
Accompanied by a handful of aides, Biden took along only a reporter and a photographer instead of his usual media pool.
He then flew on an Air Force C-32 overnight to the United States’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany and refueled in-flight before flying to Rzeszow in south-eastern Poland.
President Zelensky and all Ukrainians remind the world every day what courage is.
They remind us that freedom is priceless.
and worth fighting for.
As long as it takes pic.twitter.com/GlBT0Sg9ZL– President Biden (@POTUS) February 20, 2023
After an hour’s drive, the US President arrived in Przemysl, a town along the Poland-Ukraine border.
He then boarded a heavily guarded train and made the 10-hour journey to Kiev.
The train stopped at the Kiev-Pasajhirsky station in the Ukrainian capital at around 8 a.m. local time (0600 GMT).
The area around the stage was cleared and Bridget Brink, the US ambassador to Ukraine, waited for Biden and his aides.
Russia was informed about Joe Biden’s visit to Kiev hours before his departure
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who was accompanying Biden, said he had informed Russian officials about the surprise visit to Kiev.
“We did it a few hours before he left for the purpose of contrast,” he told reporters.
Kiev has captured a part of my heart.
I knew I would be back. pic.twitter.com/5HYcoEL47Y
– President Biden (@POTUS) February 20, 2023
He said Biden’s trip required “a security, operational and logistical effort from US government professionals to take what was an inherently risky undertaking and make it a manageable level of risk.”
After his visit, Biden got back on the train to visit Przemysl and then made his way to Warsaw.