Joe Biden made a daring, unannounced visit to Ukraine, a show of support the White House once thought was too risky

US President Joe Biden, along with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visits the St. Sophia Cathedral in the capital.Photo by Kay Nietfeld/Picture Alliance via Getty Images

• President Joe Biden arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Monday for a surprise visit.

• His aides had denied that he would visit Kiev during a trip to neighboring Poland.

• Most aides were too concerned for his safety to believe the trip was worth it, Politico reported.

US President Joe Biden paid a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital on Monday, although most of his staff believed, up until this month, the trip was too dangerous.

Biden arrived in Kiev by train, on an unexpected journey during an official visit to neighboring Poland. The visit, the New York Times reported, was kept secret over security concerns.

Many on Biden’s own team reportedly didn’t want him to make the trip, fearing for his safety.

Politico reported on Sunday that a trip to Ukraine was “almost out of the question” after consultants assessed the feasibility because most felt the risk to his safety meant it wasn’t worth it.

Air raid sirens sounded over the city when Biden visited the city on Monday, but there were no signs of attacks, Reuters reported.

According to the Biden news agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his visit was “an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians”.

Biden used the trip to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine as the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion approaches.

He said in a statement that he was meeting with Zelenskyy and his team “for an in-depth discussion of our support for Ukraine.” He added that he would “announce another shipment of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-tank systems and air surveillance radars, to protect the Ukrainian people from air strikes.”

Biden announced half a billion dollars in support and said details would be announced in the next few days, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Former White House operatives and advance agents told insiders in April 2022 that it would be inconsiderate for Biden to visit Ukraine, saying, “You just braced yourself for so many bad things if the president leaves.”

Since then, the security situation in Kiev has calmed down, and leaders of other Western nations have visited the city.

But the threat of a new Russian push could increase Biden’s risk.

Biden’s visit comes just four days before the one-year anniversary of the invasion.

Ukraine, Western leaders and intelligence officials fear Russia could use the anniversary to launch a new offensive, increasing the potential security risk in Kiev for Biden.

Russia’s troops withdrew from near Kiev last year after failing to take the city, and fighting has since focused on eastern Ukraine.

But Russia’s playbook is to send drones and missiles across the country, well away from the front lines, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia could try to retake the city.

Biden said in his statement: “When Putin launched his invasion almost a year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West divided. He thought he could outlive us. But he was dead wrong.”

He said he was in Kyiv to “reaffirm our unwavering and unwavering commitment to the democracy, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

Biden will meet with the Polish President and leaders of Eastern European countries after completing his visit to Ukraine.

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