The White House speaks out about Biden’s visit to Ukraine

“The president has no plans to go,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on April 18.

Many European leaders went to Kiev and met President of Ukraine Zelensky. However, Mr. Biden’s visit will present a more complex security challenge, AFP noted.

The Biden administration has said that instead of Biden, the US wants to send a senior official to Kiev, most likely Secretary of State Antony Blinken or Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

As for whether to go to Kiev, Mr Biden said last week that “we are making a decision on that”.

Also on April 18, Ms. Psaki noted, if the US official’s visit to Ukraine takes place, the time and location will not be announced for security reasons.

Biden’s spokesman also confirmed that there was hope of reopening the US embassy in Kiev, although he did not give a timeline. “That’s certainly our goal. Obviously having a diplomatic presence on the ground is important,” Ms. Psaki said.

In an interview with CNN over the weekend, Zelensky said, “I think” Biden will visit Kiev. However, the Ukrainian leader also noted “but it is his decision and it depends on the safety situation”.

“I think he is the leader of the United States and that is why he should come here to witness,” the Ukrainian president said.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba praised the support so far for Ukraine in an interview on CBS. Ukraine’s foreign minister said that the US leader’s visit would “be an important message of support”.

“A personal meeting between two presidents could also pave the way for new supplies and weapons of the America for Ukraine and also to discuss a potential political settlement of this conflict,” he added.