Russia is “closely” watching US President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine and Poland, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. The remarks from Moscow coincide with President Vladimir Putin’s address to the nation. They come a day after Joe Biden’s optically appealing visit to war-torn Ukraine and right ahead of his speech in Warsaw. “Naturally, we have been watching this very closely, we will be watching very closely what will happen in Poland today, although it is very likely that this will be a continued concentration of Russophobia and persuading each other on new arms deliveries,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Russian television.
Air raid sirens were heard across Kyiv as US President Joe Biden walked alongside Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during a historic visit to war-time Kyiv on Monday. The unprecedented visit came ahead of the first anniversary of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Biden pledged new arms deliveries and reiterated Washington’s “unwavering” support for Kyiv’s war effort.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: “This is a historic visit, unprecedented in modern times, to have the President of the United States visit the capital of a country at war where the United States military does not control the critical infrastructure.”
Shortly after his arrival, Zelensky welcomed Biden at his official residence where they held a joint press conference that lasted around 20 minutes.
“Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” Biden said Monday. “He thought he could outlast us.”
“He’s just been plain wrong,” he added.