Biden Visits Kyiv to Reaffirm US Commitment to Ukraine’s Sovereignty

At a glance

• President Biden visited Kyiv to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new package of security assistance for Ukraine valued at $450m
• A new wave of sanctions against individuals and companies “that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine” will also be announced later this week
• US has so far announced $24.9bn in military assistance to Ukraine
• China’s foreign minister said Beijing is deeply worried by the escalation of the war in Ukraine

The details

US President Joe Biden has visited Kyiv, Ukraine, to reaffirm the US’s “unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity”. The visit comes days before the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

President Biden said that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had been “dead wrong” to think Russia could outlast Ukraine and its Western allies.

Security Assistance Package

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new package of security assistance for Ukraine valued at $450m, including ammunition for howitzers and the Himars rocket system, Javelin missiles and air surveillance radars.

The US will also provide Kyiv with an extra $10m in emergency assistance to maintain Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Sanctions

A new wave of sanctions against individuals and companies “that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine” will also be announced later this week.

US Support for Ukraine

The US is one of Ukraine’s biggest allies and the state department has so far announced $24.9bn in military assistance.

In January, Mr Biden announced that the US would send 31 battle tanks and longer-range missiles are also on their way.

President Biden’s presence was intended to reaffirm America’s “unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity”. Russia was informed about the trip a few hours before President Biden’s departure for “deconfliction purposes”.

There is a growing political divide in the US over the amount of aid Kyiv should receive in future.

President Biden’s visit to Kyiv came ahead of a three-day visit to Poland where he will meet the country’s President, Andrzej Duda, and east European members of the Nato military alliance.

China’s foreign minister said Beijing is deeply worried by the escalation of the war in Ukraine and the danger it could spiral out of control.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested China was considering supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia for the war – a claim strongly denied by the Chinese.