US President Joe Biden has arrived in Kyiv, the press service of the White House reports.
There he will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team. Also, the US President intends to announce a new military assistance package to Ukraine in Kyiv. Later this week, Biden is due to announce new sanctions against Russia, according to a press release.
“I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelensky and reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukrainian democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Biden said in a statement posted on the White House website.
“I will report another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery shell, anti-tank systems, and air surveillance radars … And I will also announce that later this week we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies, ” the President of the United States continued.
Later it became known that it would be about the transfer of weapons for $500 million. According to the American media, Biden said this to Zelensky at the talks and promised that additional details about this assistance would be made public in the coming days. He noted that the package would include artillery shells, howitzers, and Javelin man-portable anti-tank systems.
“The United States has built a section of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help protect Ukraine through unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian assistance. And this support will continue,” the head of the White House said.
He stressed that despite all the disagreements within Congress, there is “broad, bipartisan support” for Kyiv.
“Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your visit is a significant manifestation of support for all Ukrainians,” Zelensky wrote on social networks. The Ukrainian media quote him. The President of Ukraine also posted a joint photo with Biden.
This visit was not announced in advance. However, it was known that Biden intended to visit Poland on February 20-22 and meet there with President Andrzej Duda and the leaders of the “Bucharest Nine” nine countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
It was also reported that on February 21, Biden will deliver an address timed to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the special operation in Ukraine and will note the importance of “the determination and unity of the international community in support of Ukraine” and “send a signal to Ukraine about continued support from the United States.”
