Sporting a blue-and-yellow tie in Ukraine's colors, Biden made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capitol of Kyiv for about five hours on Monday.
During his quick stop, Biden did not hold back from criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Russia's aim was to wipe Ukraine off the map. Putin's war of conquest is failing," Biden said. "Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. ... I don't think he's thinking that right now."
Biden also announced another $500 million in additional aid for Kyiv, which comes as Russia has launched a new offensive in eastern Ukraine.
Before he departed the country, Biden and Zelensky traveled to the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral in central Kyiv, taking a walk around the complex that stands for Ukrainian resistance.
Zelensky said the moment stood as a "clear signal that Russia's attempts of relaunch will have no chance."
The White House did take steps to inform Russia of the visit ahead of time.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan declined to speak on how Moscow responded, but noted this was a historic visit.
Sullivan said it was "unprecedented in modern times to have the president of the United States visit the capital of the country of war where the United States military does not control the critical infrastructure."
That didn't stop some Republicans from taking the chance to hammer Biden on the visit.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is flirting with a 2024 White House run, faulted Biden for "neglecting" issues at home, including the border.
Check out more Ukraine coverage at The Hill's Defense page, and read more about how Biden's trip came together here.
No comments:
Post a Comment