In the Polish capital Warsaw, Biden plans, among other things, a meeting with President Andrzej Duda and a speech at the Royal Castle of Warsaw on the first anniversary of the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Biden’s speech in Warsaw is scheduled for early evening — just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a State of the Union address in Moscow. The two deliver a sort of duel from a distance.
First visit to Ukraine since the start of the war
Biden traveled to Kiev on Monday under the strictest security measures. There he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and together with his colleague, accompanied by an air raid siren, visited various symbolic places in the metropolis.
Biden mainly used the dramatic short visit to promise Ukraine continued support from the US and to send a signal of unity to Putin. Because of the great security risks, the White House kept the trip a secret until the end.
For Biden, it was the first visit to Ukraine since the start of the war, which marks the first anniversary this Friday. According to the White House, the US government had notified the Russian side of the visit a few hours in advance.
During his short visit, Biden also brought a concrete commitment for new military aid to Kiev: according to the US Department of Defense, the new package is worth up to 460 million dollars (more than 428 million euros) and mainly includes missiles. for the Himars several rocket launchers, artillery shells, mortar shells, armor-piercing missiles and other munitions. Biden also promised further sanctions against Russia.
According to journalists traveling with him, Biden left Andrews Air Force Base near the capital Washington in the early hours of Sunday morning (local time). He did not travel in the US president’s usual plane – a converted Boeing 747 – but in a smaller machine that stood next to the runway in the dark until departure.
En route to Poland, the plane landed at the US Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany. The destination was the Polish city of Rzeszów near the Polish-Ukrainian border.
From there, Biden was taken to the main train station in the town of Przemyśl, some 90 kilometers away, where an unmarked train was waiting. According to unconfirmed information, the train crossed the border into Ukraine at around 10 p.m. (local time). During the roughly 10-hour journey, the train stopped several times, usually briefly, he said. On Monday morning around eight o’clock, the train carrying the US president arrived at Kiev’s central station. “It’s good to be back in Kiev,” Biden is said to have said first after getting out.
Second visit to Poland within a year
Unlike the visit to Kiev, the White House had announced the trip to Warsaw well in advance. Biden last visited Poland in late March 2022, about a month after the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Even then, Biden delivered a well-received speech in front of the historic backdrop of the Warsaw Royal Castle, assuring Ukraine of support and sharply attacking Kremlin chief Putin.
In that speech, a statement about Putin caused a sensation, which was later downplayed by the White House: “For God’s sake, this man can’t stay in power,” Biden said at the time. US government headquarters later clarified that the president had not called for Putin’s overthrow.
Biden again chose a special historical location for his speech in Warsaw: the Royal Castle: the castle is a symbol of the city that was largely destroyed by Nazi Germany in World War II and later rebuilt.
From the point of view of the leadership in Warsaw, Biden’s visit underlines the strategic importance of Poland. The EU and NATO country has a border with Ukraine that is more than 500 kilometers long. Not only did Poland take in as many as 1.5 million war refugees from there, but it has repeatedly taken initiatives in recent months to provide military support to Kiev.
Poland hopes that Biden will thank him for this, but also concrete commitments for further military support. “Indeed, we expect a permanent presence of troops from our allies, including the US, on Polish soil to ensure an effective deterrent,” Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau recently stressed.
A diplomatic offensive for the anniversary
On Wednesday, Biden wants to meet with representatives from other Eastern European NATO countries in Warsaw – in the so-called “Bucharest 9” format. In addition to Poland, the group also includes Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, i.e. the states along NATO’s eastern flank.
The trip to Ukraine and Poland is part of a series of talks about US foreign policy around the anniversary of the start of the war. The White House said Biden is planning several calls in the coming days with partners such as the heads of government of France, Britain and Italy. On March 3, Biden will also receive German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House in Washington. (con/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
