TASS, February 20. US President Joe Biden paid his first visit to Kiev as head of state on Monday. He met with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky, announced the allocation of another $500 million military aid package to Ukraine and promised new anti-Russian sanctions package by the end of the week.
On February 20, Ukraine celebrates a holiday called the Day of the Hundred Heroes, which was established to commemorate the victims of the 2014 coup in Kiev. Biden and Zelensky visited St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, where the corresponding memorial is located.
TASS gathered the main information known about the visit known so far.
Unannounced visit
Biden's trip to Kiev has not been announced. It was previously reported that he would visit Poland from February 20 to 22. The White House denied plans for the president to visit Ukraine.
On Monday morning, roads in the center of Kiev were blocked, causing traffic jams. There were also reports that three US reconnaissance planes were on duty over the Ukrainian-Polish border, and in the afternoon Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister and former ambassador to Berlin Andrey Melnik said he was expecting the arrival of Kiev's "main partners."
Around 13.00 Moscow time, Ukrainian media began posting videos showing a man resembling Biden. Soon Zelensky published a joint photo with his American counterpart on his Telegram channel, and the head of his office, Andrey Yermak, published a photo with Biden's national security aide Jake Sullivan at the Mariinsky Palace (the residence of the Ukrainian president).
The Politico newspaper, citing a soutce in the Ukrainian parliament, reported that the visit had been prepared for a week. According to the New York Times, Biden arrived in the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland.
Aid and sanctions
At the meeting with Zelensky, Biden, according to Reuters, announced a new $500 million aid package for Ukraine. It will be officially announced on Tuesday, February 21.
The aid package will include ammunition and anti-tank systems, including Javelin systems, as well as howitzers and radars. Zelensky also noted that he had discussed with his US counterpart the supply of long-range weapons.
The White House said that the US intended to announce a new package of anti-Russian sanctions this week. The European Union is also discussing another sanctions package, which is expected to be unveiled by the end of the week.
First visit of US president to Ukraine
This was Biden's first visit to Ukraine as president. As vice president, he visited the country six times: in 2009, 2014 (three times), 2015 and 2017.
The first visit of an American president to Ukraine was in 1991, when George W. Bush, Sr came to the country. His successor Bill Clinton visited the country three times as head of state (in 1994, 1995 and 2000); George W. Bush visited the country in 2008.