US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on Monday, ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The news was confirmed after air raid sirens sounded across Kyiv and roads were blocked. Not been announced earlier for security reasons, it is Biden's first trip to Ukraine since the war began.
.@POTUS in Kyiv. Goes along with @ZelenskyyUa, the sounds of an air alarm sound. pic.twitter.com/Xq5YzP8uGv
— Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa) February 20, 2023
In a statement released by the White House just after Biden's arrival in Kyiv, Biden said he would 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.
"I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine's democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity".
"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."
Following the brief stop over, Biden will then travel to Poland, where he will meet with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Morawiecki announced that he and Biden would discuss the possibility of increasing the U.S. troop presence in Poland and making it more permanent. The United States has already increased its troop presence in Poland ahead of the Feb. 24, 2022, invasion, with approximately 11,000 personnel on rotation there, according to CBS.
Biden will be in Poland from February 20-22 to mark the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His visit to both countries comes amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and as the United States continues to show support for its allies in the region.
