Ukraine: US President Joe Biden walked around central Kyiv on an unannounced visit promising to stand with Ukraine as long as it takes on trip clearly timed to upstage Kremlin ahead of one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Biden, in trademark aviator sunglasses and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in green battle fatigues walked side-by-side to gold-domed cathedral on bright winter morning pierced by sound of air raid sirens.

“When (Russian President Vladimir) Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and West was divided. He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong,” Biden said.  “Cost that Ukraine has had to pay is extraordinarily high. Sacrifices have been far too great. We know that there will be difficult days and weeks and years ahead.” Since then, Russia’s invasion has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides, cities have been reduced to rubble and millions of refugees have fled.  

US President promised further $ 500 million worth of weaponry, including artillery ammunition, anti-armour systems and air defence radars, plus tighter sanctions on Russia.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 21 2023

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