President Biden pledges USD 500 million military aid to Ukraine in a surprise visit to Kyiv

U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged an additional USD 500 million in support to Ukraine. Biden, who paid a surprise visit to Kyiv on February 20, said Vladimir Putin’s war of conquest in Ukraine is “failing”. 

Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion, Joe Biden submitted that Putin has been playing “dead wrong” to think Russia can outlast Ukraine and its western allies. 

As support of the U.S. to Ukraine, the additional 500 million dollars includes javelin missiles, air surveillance radars and other sophisticated weapons. He also promised further sanctions against Moscow due to be announced this week. Biden however did not make mention of fighter jets which the Ukrainian president is in dire need of to gain an edge in Russia’s aggression in Ukrainian territory, which is becoming a war of attrition. 

The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said he has raised strong concerns to China’s top diplomat Wang Yi over the possibility of China providing military aid to Russia in its war with Ukraine. He said that it is only their concern as a union but it would be a red line in China’s relationship with the European Union if it turns out to be the truth.

One year on, few thought Kyviv would last beyond a couple of days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. It is why the sight of the world’s most powerful politician at the heart of the country, still at war is so significant.

 It’s also a reminder that the conflict began far before February last year. The two presidents paid a memorial to soldiers who lost their lives during the nine years of war. In a tweet, Biden described Ukrainians as courageous freedom fighters. In another, he said they have captured a part of his heart, and he would be back. 

Zelenskyy thanked Biden for his “historic” visit to Kyiv, and his unwavering support for the Ukrainian defence of Democracy. Biden vowed to support Kyiv in the war “as long as it would take”. He left for Portland in the afternoon from where he is said to have secretly driven into Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Putin in his State of the Union address on  February 21, 2023, a speech which focused on Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, blamed the West for the war.