Ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden will travel to Poland from Feb. 20-22 and meet with President Andrzej Duda.
The leaders will “discuss our bilateral cooperation as well as our collective efforts to support Ukraine and bolster NATO’s deterrence,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced on Feb. 10.
Biden will also meet with the leaders of “the Bucharest Nine, a group of our eastern flank NATO Allies, to reaffirm the United States’ unwavering support for the security of the alliance,” Jean-Pierre said.
Feb. 24 marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While he is in Poland, Biden will talk about “how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy, and how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Jean-Pierre added.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has launched a new offensive ahead of the anniversary. Russian missiles struck power facilities in six regions across Ukraine, causing blackouts in most of the country, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.
National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters on Feb. 10 that Biden “will make it clear that additional security assistance, additional financial assistance, additional help for Ukraine will be coming from the United States.”
In January, Biden announced that the United States would send Abrams tanks to support Ukrainian forces.
Poland borders Ukraine and has been outspoken in NATO about stopping Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression. Approximately 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees have relocated to Poland, the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees reported.
Biden does not have additional stops planned during his trip to Poland, Kirby noted.
On Feb. 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked for more warplanes and other military equipment from European Union leaders.
Before Feb. 24, Russia needs “to have something to show before their people, and have a major desire to do something big, as they see it,” Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Director Oleksiy Danilov said.
“Wouldn’t it be great if the president didn’t have to make a trip around a one-year anniversary of a war that never should have started? Sadly, that’s where we are,” Kirby said.
“And he wants to make sure that he’s sending that strong message not only of the United States’ resolve, but the international community’s resolve, and to make clear to the Ukrainian people that the United States is going to continue to stand by them going forward,” he continued.
“We know the next weeks and months are going to be difficult and critical.”
