Ukraine: American Jill Biden and Canadian Justin Trudeau make a surprise visit the same day

Jill Biden and Justin Trudeau chose the same day to make a surprise support visit to Ukraine.

The First Lady of the United States visited a school near the Slovakian border on Sunday for a brief surprise visit, her spokesperson said, and met with her Ukrainian counterpart Olena Zelenska.

As for the Canadian Prime Minister, he went this Sunday to Irpin in the suburbs of kyiv, a city devastated by intense fighting between the Ukrainian and Russian armies, announced the mayor of the city.

Read alsoTerror in Irpin, in the suburbs of kyiv: “The Russian army deliberately kills civilians”

Jill Biden was in Slovakia this week, including meeting with Ukrainian refugee families, and her foray into Ukraine had been kept secret until the last moment.

"I wanted to come for Mother's Day.

I thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war must stop,” she told reporters, saying “the American people stand with the Ukrainian people.”

Jill Biden and Olena Zelenska hugged and the First Lady of the United States presented a bouquet of flowers to the Ukrainian President's wife.

This is the first time that Olena Zelenska has appeared in public since the start of the conflict on February 24, an American official said.

According to the same source, the two ladies have exchanged letters in recent weeks.

"First of all, I would like to thank you for a very courageous act," she said.

“Because we understand what it takes for the First Lady of the United States to come here during a war where military operations take place every day, where air-raid sirens sound every day, even today added Olena Zelenska.

"We all feel your support and we all feel the leadership of the US President, but we want to emphasize that Mother's Day is a very symbolic day for us because we also feel your love and support on such an important day" , she added.

The private conversation between the two women lasted about an hour, before they met refugee children accompanied by their mothers.

Jill Biden then left for the Slovakian border.

Trudeau will meet with Zelensky

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to meet Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The Prime Minister is in Ukraine to meet President Zelensky and reaffirm our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people," his office said.

But for now, he has gone to the devastated town of Irpin, on the outskirts of kyiv.

“(Justin Trudeau) came to Irpin to see with his own eyes all the horrors that the Russian occupiers have done to our city,” city mayor Oleksandre Markouchine wrote on Telegram, accompanying his message with photos taken with the leader. Canadian in the destroyed city.

Justin Trudeau's visit to Ukraine had also not been announced.

Oleksandre Markouchine wanted to "sincerely thank" the Prime Minister for "the support that Canada provides to Ukraine today".

"We believe in continued cooperation between our countries in the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities after our victory," he said.