President Joe Biden made an unexpected visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, ahead of his planned trip to Poland, to reaffirm the United States's support of Ukraine's war against Russia, which will mark its one-year anniversary on Friday.
During his visit, he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in time with the announcement of a new aid package valued at $500 million. Biden then headed to Warsaw, giving a speech from the Royal Castle's gardens on the threat Russia poses to democracy.
BIDEN REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE DURING UNANNOUNCED VISIT TO KYIV
Here are the top four takeaways from Biden's visit to Kyiv.
"Ukraine Stands. Democracy Stands."
Biden's message to Ukraine and to the world was clear as he recalled the moment that Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine nearly one year ago, with many experts believing that Ukraine would not be able to withstand the push from Russian forces.
The world “was bracing for the fall of Kyiv … perhaps even the end of Ukraine," Biden said. "One year later, Kyiv stands and Ukraine stands. Democracy stands."
Quick in-and-out trip
Biden's trip to Ukraine, his first since the war began, has been regarded as "unprecedented" by national security officials.
While the trip was brief, the White House said it gave the Kremlin prior warning of the president's visit to Kyiv to avoid conflict. The trip itself was kept a secret until he arrived in Poland first because the logistics of getting an American president in and out of an active war zone proved to be more difficult than that of other officials' visits to Ukraine.
A handful of people across several organizations, including the White House chief of staff’s office, the National Security Council, the White House military office, the Pentagon, the Secret Service, and the intelligence community, worked together to ensure Biden's safety.
Only two members of the media pool accompanied Biden, compared to the dozens that usually travel with him for overseas trips, per the Hill. Plans for the trip were reportedly sent in an email with “arrival instructions for the golf tourney” as its subject line.
Military aid package arrives for Ukraine
Biden's trip was more than just a symbolic gesture of good faith. He brought with him a nearly $500 million aid package, of which limited details have been provided. The total aid provided by the U.S. now sits at close to $30 billion.
The president announced the aid in Kyiv, stating that it will include more military equipment and artillery ammunition, similar to previous packages. More details are expected to come in the coming days.
The equipment comes from the president's drawdown authority, meaning that weapons will come directly from U.S. stockpiles. However, certain advanced weaponry has not been provided to Ukraine out of fear of Russian escalation, such as F-16 jets — although members of Congress, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), have called on Biden to begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 flight.
Ukraine trip fails to put a stop to GOP criticism
Republicans are split on how the U.S. should best position itself in the war between Ukraine and Russia. Some top GOP leaders, such as Graham and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), believe in continued aid to Ukraine as long as there is accountability regarding the amount of money and equipment sent overseas.
Others, such as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), believe that Biden should bring his focus a little closer to home.
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Biden is “very concerned about those borders halfway around the world," DeSantis said in an interview on Fox & Friends on Monday. "He’s not done anything to secure our own border here at home. ... We have a lot of problems accumulating here in our own country that he is neglecting.”
Gaetz echoed DeSantis, saying that his visit to Ukraine on Presidents Day was "ditching America."