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Bloomberg
US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv and met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy, declaring “unwavering support†in a dramatic show of solidarity as Russia’s invasion nears the one-year mark.
Biden, who was originally slated to visit neighboring Poland this week, appeared in the Ukrainian capital at 8 a.m. on Monday as police sealed off main streets and an air alarm sounded — an every-day occurrence in cities hammered by Russian air strikes since President Vladimir Putin sent tanks across the border on Feb. 24, 2022. There were no immediate reports of any missile launches or explosions.
“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,†Biden said after meeting Zelenskiy and his wife, Olena, outside of the president’s residence, known as Mariinsky Palace. “I’m here to show our unwavering support for the nation’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.â€
Biden’s roughly five-hour visit comes as Ukraine’s main allies debate how to support Ukraine in what they now understand will be a long war. The US, European countries and other allies have already poured cash and weapons into the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and driven about a third of Ukraine’s pre-war 41 million population from their homes.