Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine as war nears one-year mark
Fox News’ Steve Harrigan reports from Kyiv on President Biden’s visit, where he announced another $500 million in aid, and President Zelenskyy calls it the most important visit in Ukraine’s history.
Conservative and liberal pundits sparred on Twitter after President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday, despite still not having gone to the site of a recent toxic chemical disaster in Ohio.
East Palestine, Ohio residents have called on the Biden administration to help them after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the state.
But instead of visiting Ohio, Biden secretly traveled to the Ukrainian capital ahead of the country’s one-year anniversary of its ongoing war with Russia.
"Kyiv has captured a part of my heart. I knew I would be back," he tweeted Monday.
President Joe Biden, center, shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, as they pose with Olena Zelenska, left, spouse of President Zelenskyy, at Mariinsky Palace during an unannounced visit in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)
PRESIDENT BIDEN MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO KYIV, UKRAINE, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY
"Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. America — and the world — stands with Ukraine," Biden declared alongside a picture of himself walking with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy.
The visit divided Twitter Monday, with conservative congressmen and pundits arguing that Biden should visit the chemical spill site in Ohio before he travels across the world for a photo op in Ukraine.
Leftist commentators, on the other hand, accused conservatives of supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin by criticizing Biden.
Biden meets Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)
US WARNED RUSSIA OF BIDEN'S VISIT TO UKRAINE 'HOURS' BEFORE DEPARTURE
"This is incredibly insulting. Today on our President’s Day, Joe Biden, the President of the United States chose Ukraine over America, while forcing the American people to pay for Ukraine’s government and war," Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted Monday morning.
"Trump goes to Ohio" and "Biden goes to Ukraine," actor Antonio Sabato Jr. wrote, summing up the controversy.
"Joe Biden visited Ukraine before he visited East Palestine, Ohio. Biden’s 2024 slogan should be ‘America Last,’" conservative media personality Collin Rugg tweeted.
"Go f--- yourself you disloyal Russian Assethole," former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann shot back, cursing out Greene for her post on Biden’s visit to Ukraine.
Leftist influencer "Jo" fired off a 154-word long rant on Twitter, calling Marjorie Taylor Greene and her supporters "seditious, racist, intolerant" and "democracy destroying."
"You don’t know what a real President looks like," she added.
"But don’t worry, because no one worth a d--- cares what you think."
Pennsylvania Democrat Congresswoman Susan Wild summed up Biden’s visit as "Presidents acting presidential."
CNN senior political commentator and retired Congressman Adam Kinzinger used the debate as an opportunity to attack former President Donald Trump.
"Joe Biden’s visit to Kiev is great, and sends a strong message that the US stands with #Ukraine. There is absolutely no debate, Trump NEVER would have gone, because he would have been too scared and of course, Russia."
TRUMP TO VISIT EAST PALESTINE AFTER TOXIC TRAIN DERAILMENT
Trump has announced that he will visit East Palestine, Ohio on Wednesday to meet with the people affected by the release of toxic chemicals in their community. (Getty Images)
Trump has announced that he will visit East Palestine, Ohio on Wednesday to meet with the people affected by the release of toxic chemicals in their community.
While Biden has yet to visit Ohio after the train derailment, his administration said Friday that it would deploy medical experts and toxicologists to Ohio from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Courtney De George contributed to this report.
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