KYIV, UKRAINE: US President Joe Biden on Monday made a trip to Kyiv organised in strict secrecy, promising $500 million in fresh arms deliveries and “unwavering” American support ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Air raid sirens rang out across the capital at one point as Biden walked alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during what was the US president’s first visit to the country since Russian troops invaded on February 24, 2022.
“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Biden said, speaking alongside Zelensky at the Ukrainian president’s official residence, the Mariinsky Palace.
“I thought it was critical that there not be any doubt, none whatsoever, about US support for Ukraine in the war,” he continued.
Russian President Vladimir “Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us.”
“He’s just been plain wrong,” Biden said, adding: “Putin’s war of conquest is failing”. The visit was organised in conditions of strict secrecy.
Biden left Andrews Air Force in the early hours of Sunday.
After handing over their devices, journalists were made aware of his presence on Air Force One just 15 minutes before the plane took off.
– Artillery, howitzers, Javelins –
The White House did not report how he eventually reached Ukraine but other foreign leaders have travelled to Kyiv by train from Poland.
It was the first visit by a US president to Ukraine since 2008.
During the trip, Biden promised an additional $500 million (468 million euros) in arms deliveries for Ukraine, mentioning in particular artillery ammunition, howitzers and Javelin anti-tank missiles.
Ukraine is estimated to be burning through thousands more shells each month than the EU defence industry is currently able to produce.
The European Union is weighing up plans to try to speed up its production and delivery of much-needed ammunition to help Kyiv’s fight.
Zelensky said he and Biden also discussed the possibility of supplying “long-range weapons” to Ukraine, a long-standing request from Kyiv that has been met with reticence in Washington where there is concern that they could be used to strike deep inside Russian territory.
Zelensky hailed the visit as a key sign of support.
“This conversation brings us closer to victory,” he said, calling the visit and the promise of additional US arms supplies “an unequivocal signal that Russian attempts to win will have no chance”.
After their talks, Biden and Zelensky visited St Michael’s Gold-Domed Cathedral, which has long been a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, and the air raid sirens were heard across the city as the two leaders left the church.
– ‘Most urgent issue’ –
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China was now “considering providing lethal support” to Moscow ranging “from ammunition to the weapons themselves”.
The European Union and United States have sided firmly with Ukraine since Moscow launched its all-out invasion a year ago, providing Kyiv with weapons and financial aid worth billions of euros.
There has been widespread concern about Beijing’s deepening relationship with Moscow and its refusal to condemn the Kremlin’s aggression outright.
The European Union is also weighing up plans to try to speed up its production and delivery of much-needed ammunition to help Kyiv’s fight.
“We’ll do everything we can,” Borrell said. “This is the most urgent issue, if we fail on that then really the result of the war is in danger.”
At the Munich security conference over the weekend, Borrell issued a stark warning about Ukraine’s dwindling supplies of bullets and similar munitions as it fights back against Russia’s invasion.
“(Let’s) accelerate our military support to Ukraine because Ukraine is in a critical situation from the point of view with ammunition available,” Borrell said.
“This shortage of ammunition has to resolve quickly, it’s a matter of weeks.”
On Saturday, US Vice President Kamala Harris said in Munich that Russia had committed “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine through “widespread and systemic” attacks on the country’s civilian population.
Biden will speak in Warsaw on Tuesday to hail NATO’s unprecedented effort to help Ukrainians save their country as he marks the war’s first year.
On the same day, President Vladimir Putin is set to give his own speech in Moscow, three days from the February 24th anniversary of Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine.
