Biden visits Ukraine ahead of war anniversary: ‘Kyiv stands’
Associated PressFeb 20, 2023
Day 362: Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine
The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Monday — his first to the country since Russia launched its invasion nearly a year ago. Biden had been publicly scheduled to visit Poland, but instead traveled through the country to arrive in Kyiv and meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine," said Biden via a White House statement. "I am in Kyiv today to meet with Pres. Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity."
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
While the Biden administration is publicly announcing it will support Ukraine for as long as it takes, behind closed doors it's a different story. Private discourse suggests that US backing for Kyiv's expensive and, possibly, unachievable military goals may have an expiration date.
Nerd narrative
There is a 2% chance that Ukraine will officially recognize a former Ukrainian territory (Luhansk, Donetsk or Crimea) as independent before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
