Headline Roundup • February 21st, 2023
How Will Biden's Visit to Kyiv Impact the Ukraine War?
Joe Biden,Ukraine War,Russia,Biden Administration,White House,Europe,NATO,Ukraine,Volodymyr Zelensky,Vladimir Putin
Summary from the AllSides News Team
President Biden visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Monday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches. The surprise visit aimed to reaffirm Western support of Ukraine’s ongoing resistance, and writers are reflecting on what Biden’s appearance means for the war.
Just a Visit: Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who objects to aiding the Ukraine war effort, tweeted that Biden should be “standing with East Palestine,” referring to the Ohio train crash. Jim Geraghty commended Biden for taking the risk of traveling to a war zone, but stated that the president’s “piecemeal” approach to military aid was hindering the Ukrainian war effort, writing, “President Biden wants to be perceived as Winston Churchill, but it is very hard to cultivate a Churchillian image when you’re habitually indecisive.”
Symbolic Victory: David Rothkopf said Biden’s trip is the latest in a line of American leaders standing up to Russia, calling it a “vitally important message of solidarity.” Rothkopf also compared Biden’s visit to Ukraine to former President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, stating, “Biden went to Europe to send Putin a message of American and allied strength. Trump went to grovel before Putin.” Anne Applebaum wrote that Biden’s visit sends a message to Putin that the Western alliance he views as “weak, divided, and easily undermined” remains in support of Ukraine, determining that Biden’s visit signifies “time is not on Russia’s side after all.”
Featured Coverage of this Story
Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP / Getty
An American AWACS began patrolling the skies west of Ukraine last night; Kyiv was locked down this morning. Motorcades crisscrossed the city and rumors began to spread. But although it was clear someone important was about to arrive, the first photographs of President Joe Biden—with President Volodymyr Zelensky, with air-raid sirens blaring, with St. Michael’s Square in the background—had exactly the impact they were intended to have: surprise, amazement, respect. He’s the American president. He made an unprecedented trip to a war zone, one where there are no U.S. troops...
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Reuters
Kennedy and then Reagan in Berlin. Now Biden in Kyiv.
Periodically during the past sixty years, American presidents have stood up at the Eastern edge of Europe and looked to Russia to say, “We stand with our allies. Our resolve is unshakeable.”
Kennedy said, “Ich bin ein Berliner.” Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev tear down that wall.” Biden, on his surprise President’s Day visit to Kyiv said, “One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine strands. Democracy stands.”
Stirringly, just days ahead of the one year anniversary of Russia’s brutal offensive against...
Evan Vucci/Pool via Reuters
President Biden is in Kyiv, Ukraine, today. Good for him for accepting the small but undeniable risk of traveling to a country currently being invaded by Russia to demonstrate U.S. support for those beleaguered people. Our Mark Wright observes that, “Neither the U.S. nor Ukraine has total control of the airspace. Neither the U.S. nor Ukraine could guarantee Biden’s security on the ground. The president of the United States was inside the Russian WEZ — the weapons engagement zone — the entire trip. For that Joe Biden should receive credit.”
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