Air raid sirens rang out across capital as Biden met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on US president’s first visit since Russian troops invaded on February 24, 2022
US President Joe Biden on Monday made a surprise journey to Kyiv, promising expanded hands deliveries for Ukraine and unflagging help ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the u . S ..
Air raid sirens rang out throughout the capital as Biden met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on what is the US president’s first visit to the united states seeing that Russian troops invaded on February 24, 2022.
Uniformed Ukrainian navy officials covered the street just outside. Biden and Zelensky walked over and together laid a wreath on the Wall of Remembrance for the fallen heroes of the Russian-Ukrainian struggle, as a navy salute played and the two presidents stared down in silence for a few moments.
Biden promised expanded fingers deliveries for Ukraine and vowed Washington’s “unflagging dedication” in protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“I will announce every other transport of vital system, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor structures, and air surveillance radars to assist guard the Ukrainian humans from aerial bombardments,” he turned into quoted as announcing in a White House declaration.
Ukraine is envisioned to be burning via heaps greater shells every month than the EU defence industry is presently capable of produce.
Zelensky hailed Biden’s visit as a key sign of help.
“Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your visit is a really crucial signal of guide for all Ukrainians,” Zelensky said on Telegram in English.
The go to got here as Beijing lashed out towards US claims that China was considering sending palms to Russia to assist in its battle in Ukraine.
“It is the United States and no longer China that is endlessly transport guns to the battlefield,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said while asked approximately the US claims.
“We urge the US to earnestly reflect on its personal movements, and do more to relieve the situation, promote peace and talk, and forestall moving blame and spreading fake statistics,” he advised a everyday briefing.
The EU’s foreign coverage chief Josep Borrell also warned China against imparting Russia with guns for the battle in Ukraine, announcing: “for us, it would be a crimson line in our dating.”
‘Most urgent issue’
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China was now “considering providing lethal support” to Moscow ranging “from ammunition to the weapons themselves”.
The European Union and United States have sided firmly with Ukraine since Moscow launched its all-out invasion a year ago, providing Kyiv with weapons and financial aid worth billions of euros.
There has been widespread concern about Beijing’s deepening relationship with Moscow and its refusal to condemn the Kremlin’s aggression outright.
The European Union is also weighing up plans to try to speed up its production and delivery of much-needed ammunition to help Kyiv’s fight.
“We’ll do everything we can,” Borrell said. “This is the most urgent issue, if we fail on that then really the result of the war is in danger.”
At the Munich security conference over the weekend, Borrell issued a stark warning about Ukraine’s dwindling supplies of bullets and similar munitions as it fights back against Russia’s invasion.
“(Let’s) accelerate our military support to Ukraine because Ukraine is in a critical situation from the point of view with ammunition available,” Borrell said.
“This shortage of ammunition has to resolve quickly, it’s a matter of weeks.”
On Saturday, US Vice President Kamala Harris said in Munich that Russia had committed “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine through “widespread and systemic” attacks on the country’s civilian population.
Biden will speak in Warsaw on Tuesday to hail NATO’s unprecedented effort to help Ukrainians save their country as he marks the war’s first year.
On the same day, President Vladimir Putin is set to give his own speech in Moscow, three days from the February 24th anniversary of Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine.