Biden explains why he chooses to visit Kyiv in February 2023
Photo: Biden and Zelenskyy in Kyiv in February 2023 (GettyImages)
US President Joe Biden believes that his visit to Kyiv in February 2023 was of great importance, as it took place a year after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The US leader said this in his interview with the MSNBC channel.
"If we hadn't gone (to Kyiv - ed.), then who would have shown leadership? I didn't think of it as 'I must go to Ukraine.' I thought it was important that we treated Ukraine as an independent country. I wanted to make it clear to them that we stand with them," Biden said.
In Biden's opinion, this was the best way to demonstrate support for Ukraine. According to him, he didn't believe that Putin would attempt to target the American President's life but was concerned about "radical elements in Ukraine working with the Russians."
"That's why we took with us the best people who were with us during the 10-hour train journey," Biden noted.
Biden's visit to Kyiv in February 2023
In February 2023, US President Joe Biden made a historic visit to Kyiv. It was his first trip to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Biden met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm the United States' support for Ukraine's struggle for independence and sovereignty. During the visit, new military and financial aid packages were announced to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.
This visit carried significant symbolic and political weight, demonstrating the US's determination to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine during a critical moment. While in Kyiv, Biden expressed respect for the Ukrainian people's resilience and courage, as well as emphasized the importance of international unity in opposing Russian aggression.
Recently, Biden mentioned that despite the claims of Russian leader Vladimir Putin about capturing Ukraine in three days, this never happened. Putin also failed to visit Kyiv.
