Biden travels to Poland after his surprise visit to Ukraine

US President Biden arrived in Poland on February 20 to reinforce US and NATO support for Ukraine after making an unannounced trip to Kyiv, where he recognized the one-year mark since Russia's invasion with a show of solidarity, CBS News reports.

The president met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm the United States' commitment to the Ukrainian people and announce a new round of $460 million in security assistance before departing for Poland.

"One year later, Kyiv stands. Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. America stands with you and the world stands with you. Kyiv has captured a part of my heart," Biden said.

Biden and a small group of aides were in Kyiv for about six hours before departing on February 20 afternoon local time. White House officials initially declined to detail the logistics of their transportation due to security concerns, but journalists travelling with the party later said the group travelled by train. Biden had already been scheduled to travel to Warsaw to meet with NATO allies in Eastern Europe and deliver remarks on Russia's invasion.

In a statement announcing his trip to Ukraine, Biden said he looked forward to "travelling on to Poland to meet President Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the UN Charter that unite us worldwide."

Poland, a NATO ally, has been an unwavering ally of Ukraine, providing both security and humanitarian assistance. The country has welcomed millions of Ukrainian refugees who have crossed the border and provided billions of dollars in weapons and other aid to Zelenskyy's government.

On February 21, Biden is scheduled to meet with Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, to discuss the United States' cooperation with Poland and efforts to support Ukraine and NATO. Biden and Duda met in March 2022 when Biden made another trip to Poland.