Joe Biden has ‘no plans’ to visit Ukraine, White House confirms
- ‘There are no plans for the president to go. Let me just reiterate that,’ White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters
- The Biden administration has said it wants to send a high-ranking official, most likely Secretary of State Antony Blinken or Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin
US President Joe Biden is not planning to visit Kyiv, despite Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky urging him to demonstrate US support for the fight against Russia by travelling to the embattled capital, the White House said on Monday.
“There are no plans for the president to go. Let me just reiterate that,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.
The White House also announced that Biden will hold a call with allies on Tuesday to discuss the Ukraine crisis, including on how to coordinate on holding Russia accountable.
“The president will convene a secure video call with allies and partners to discuss our continued support for Ukraine and efforts to hold Russia accountable as part of our close coordination,” it said in a statement.
A string of European leaders have made the trip to Kyiv and held meetings with Zelensky.
However, a Biden visit would present a more complex security challenge. The Biden administration has said it instead wants to send a high-ranking official, most likely Secretary of State Antony Blinken or Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.