"Not Likely": Biden Says He Will Not Visit Ukraine During His Europe Trip
Russia-Ukraine War: Biden is among a shrinking number of major Western leaders who have not yet visited Ukraine to show support against the Russian invasion.
US President Joe Biden said Monday he will probably not visit Ukraine during a trip to Europe that starts this week.
Biden first said "that depends" when asked if he planned to visit Ukraine.
But then he said "on this trip, not likely," as he spoke to reporters who pressed him about such a possibility as he strolled on the beach during a long holiday weekend.
Biden is among a shrinking number of major Western leaders who have not yet visited Ukraine to show support against the Russian invasion.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron joined the prime ministers of Germany and Italy in visiting Ukraine, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been there twice.
Biden did go as far as Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, in late March.
Biden is heading to Germany on Saturday for a Group of Seven Summit, then on to Madrid for a meeting of NATO leaders.
He told reporters a visit to Ukraine would depend on "a lot of things, whether or not it causes more difficulties for Ukrainians, whether it distracts from what's going on."
Then he said such a trip is unlikely during this tour of Europe.
Biden said he is close contact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to him "almost four times a week."
Biden first said "that depends" when asked if he planned to visit Ukraine.
But then he said "on this trip, not likely," as he spoke to reporters who pressed him about such a possibility as he strolled on the beach during a long holiday weekend.
Biden is among a shrinking number of major Western leaders who have not yet visited Ukraine to show support against the Russian invasion.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron joined the prime ministers of Germany and Italy in visiting Ukraine, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been there twice.
Biden did go as far as Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, in late March.
Biden is heading to Germany on Saturday for a Group of Seven Summit, then on to Madrid for a meeting of NATO leaders.
He told reporters a visit to Ukraine would depend on "a lot of things, whether or not it causes more difficulties for Ukrainians, whether it distracts from what's going on."
Then he said such a trip is unlikely during this tour of Europe.
Biden said he is close contact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to him "almost four times a week."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
