The U.S. First Lady meets Olena Zelenska as Russia continues its aggressive military actions in Eastern Ukraine.
Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, made an unannounced trip to western Ukraine on Sunday, meeting with Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, in a surprise visit on Mother’s Day. This comes as Russia intensifies its war efforts in the eastern regions of Ukraine.
Although U.S. President Joe Biden has not visited Ukraine, he expressed a desire to do so when he was in Poland earlier this spring, following Russia’s invasion. However, security concerns due to the advancing Russian tanks around Kyiv prevented the visit at that time.
Jill Biden’s visit was shrouded in secrecy, making her one of the latest high-profile Americans to travel to Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia. Following the withdrawal of Russian forces from Kyiv after Joe Biden’s trip to Poland, security conditions improved in the capital. This led to visits by U.S. leaders such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and other world leaders like British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who all met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During her visit, Jill Biden told Olena Zelenska, “I wanted to come on Mother’s Day,” marking a poignant gesture of solidarity amid the ongoing crisis.
