(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday as the nation nears its one-year anniversary of repelling the invasion of Russian troops.
Biden met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and held a joint press conference to “reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
“That dark night one year ago the world was literally at the time bracing for the fall of Kyiv,” Biden said at a news conference with the Ukrainian leader.
The U.S. has sent well over $100 billion in aid to Ukraine.
“I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” Biden said in a statement Monday morning. “And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.”
Biden is also visiting Poland during his trip to the region.
“I also look forward to traveling on to Poland to meet President Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the UN Charter that unite us worldwide,” the president said in a statement.
Biden took fire for traveling overseas to Ukraine before visiting East Palestine, Ohio, where a train carrying dangerous materials derailed on Feb. 3. The subsequent handling of those materials has sparked controversy and raised ecological and health concerns in the area.
“If you want to understand why so many Americans are frustrated right now: Biden is in Ukraine before Ohio,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., wrote on Twitter.