On video: for the first time since the outbreak of war: President Biden visits Ukraine (from Twitter, Reuters)
The White House notified the Kremlin of President Joe Biden's expected visit to Kiev a few hours before his departure in order to prevent missteps that could lead to escalation, the spokesman for the White House National Security Council, Joe Kirby, said today (Monday).
Biden made a surprise visit to the capital of Ukraine this morning and promised to stand by Ukraine as long as it takes.
The visit was held a few days before the anniversary of the Russian invasion of its neighbor.
Hugging in Kiev.
Biden and Zelensky (Photo: Reuters)
Traveling in Kiev.
Biden and Zelensky (Photo: Reuters)
On a sunny and cold winter's day, Biden, wearing aviator sunglasses, walked alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in green military pants, in the center of Kiev to the church with the golden dome as the alarms split the air in the background.
"When Putin invaded almost a year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He was wrong," Biden said.
Outside the church, burned Russian tanks were placed in the square as a symbol of the failed Russian attack on the capital at the beginning of the invasion.
Since then, tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed on both sides, cities have been destroyed and millions of refugees have fled for their lives.
Russia claims to have annexed a fifth of Ukraine, while the West has pledged military aid to Kiev worth tens of billions of dollars.
President Zelensky said that "this visit of the President of the United States to Ukraine, the first in 15 years, is the most important visit in the history of Ukraine-United States relations."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Koleva called the visit "a victory for the Ukrainian people and President Zelensky" and a clear signal to Russia that "
Biden and Zelensky shake hands, Kiev (Photo: Reuters)
Biden entered the presidential palace with Zelensky (Photo: Reuters)
The New York Times reported that according to White House officials, Biden made the final decision about visiting Kiev on Friday during a brainstorming session in the Oval Office.
The planning of the secret visit lasted several months, but the fact of its existence was kept a secret, even within the Pentagon and the White House.
Biden took off from the United States for Poland on Air Force One on Sunday at 4:15 am EST.
A few reporters, who were sworn to secrecy and had their phones taken from them, came with him to Kiev.
He also accompanied the President Jay Sullivan, the White House National Security Adviser;
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff;
and Annie Tomsini, director of operations for the Oval Office.
The reporters who were allowed to join Biden received permission to send a report to other journalists only after the president arrived in Kiev.
An American source said that after landing in Poland, Biden crossed the border into Ukraine by train, and traveled about ten hours to Kiev.
He is expected to return by a similar route to Poland and make his way to Warsaw.
Biden, Zelensky and his wife (Photo: Reuters)
Photos of Biden with President Zelensky and their public statements were released hours later.
Biden arrived in Kiev at 8 am local time (9 am Israel time).
He wore a blue suit and a blue-yellow striped tie - the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Roads were closed across the city as the presidential motorcade made its way to the gilded halls of Mariinsky Palace, the official residence of Ukraine's president.
At 08:30, Biden was received at the entrance of the Amron by D. Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelensky.
"Thank you for coming," Zelensky said as he shook Biden's hand.
"Great to see you," Biden replied.
"More importantly: how are your children?"
He asked.
The two leaders met privately before making joint statements at the palace.
Just after 11 a.m., Biden's motorcade drove to St. Michael's Golden Dome Monastery, where leaders embraced again.
They spent five minutes in the cathedral before walking out together, to the sound of an alarm that sounded just after 11:30.
Biden's motorcade left the monastery for the United States Embassy at noon, and left again about 45 minutes later.
At 2:00 p.m., reporters reported that Biden had left Kyiv.
Biden and Zelensky in the presidential palace (Photo: Reuters)
Biden and Zelensky (Photo: Reuters)
Biden's visit to Kiev should overshadow Putin's expected speech tomorrow.
The Russian president is set to reveal his goals for the second year of what he calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
According to Arkady Milman, head of the Russia program at the INSS Institute for National Security Studies and former Israeli ambassador to Russia, "This is a historic event that gives a tremendous boost to Ukraine. Tomorrow Putin will address the Russian Parliament, and today's visitor sends a strong and determined message to Putin; the United States is Ukraine's back and will increase aid military and economic in the form of new packages of military aid to Ukraine."
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