Biden commends Ukraine’s bravery
In his speech with President Zelensky, President Biden praised Ukraine’s courage during the war, saying he had visited Kyiv six times while serving as vice president.
“I knew I’d be back,” he said.
Air raid sirens were going off as Zelensky and Biden were inside the golden-domed cathedral of St. Michael in central Kyiv.
Earlier, Biden said Washington would provide Kyiv with a new $500 million military aid package to be announced tomorrow.
Important air surveillance radars part of new US weapons pledge
The United States has repeatedly said it will help Ukraine deliver weapons “for as long as it takes,” and Biden’s remarks this morning after arriving in Kyiv with the Ukrainian president reinforce that commitment.
Although there are no details on the details, we now know from a statement from the White House that anti-armor systems, as well as more artillery ammunition, are being pledged ahead of a possible new ground attack by Russia.
Additionally, the provision of air surveillance radars points to a significant need for protection against Russian cruise missiles and other precision air-launched weapons, as well as Russian aircraft. These radars will give the Ukrainian military additional warning of any air strikes.
Again no mention of Western jets, perhaps unsurprisingly given that President Biden has already refused to send US F-16s to Ukraine, given the complications of such a move.
To date, the US has pledged $30 billion in security aid to Ukraine and it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.
Zelensky thanks Biden for visit and weapons
In a televised joint statement, alongside Biden, Zelensky says the “democratic world” “must win this historic battle”.
“This is the most important visit in the entire history of US-Ukraine relations,” Zelensky said, adding that it “underlines the results we have already achieved”.
“Our talks today were very productive,” Zelensky said.
He adds that the results of this visit will definitely be seen and reflected in the battlefield. Zelinsky says the U.S. decision to give Ukraine Abrams tanks in early January has already helped bolster Ukraine’s defenses, adding that he and Biden have discussed long-range weapons. Also talked about.
“I know that there will be a very significant package of support for Ukraine … it will give a clear signal that there is no possibility of Russian aggression,” Zelensky said.
“Ukraine is grateful to you, Mr. President,” he tells Biden.
Biden praises ‘heroic’ citizens of Ukraine
Before a press conference, Joe Biden sat down for a chat with Volodymyr Zelenskiy and said he was “looking forward to talking about the world” with him.
He praised the “brave” fighting of Ukrainian citizens despite their lack of military experience.
He said: “Again kudos to the people of Ukraine, ordinary, hard-working citizens, who never trained in the military, but the way they stepped up is beyond heroic and the whole world thinks so.”
How Biden’s trip to Ukraine was kept a secret
Biden’s secret visit to Ukraine was made by train from the Polish border, the New York Times reported.
The visit to Kyiv was kept secret due to security concerns. Reports also state that Biden flew to Washington unannounced after he and his wife, Jill, had a rare dinner at a restaurant on Saturday night.
Officials had denied that Biden would visit Ukraine during his tour of Eastern Europe.
The New York Times says: “In fact, the White House on Sunday night released a public schedule for Monday that showed the president still in Washington and leaving for Warsaw in the evening, when in fact he had earlier He was half a world away.”
