Biden landed at Warsaw's Chopin Airport at around 11:15 p.m. after earlier making a surprise trip by train to war-torn Ukraine, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Upon his arrival in the Polish capital, Biden was greeted by a delegation of officials led by Polish presidential aide Marcin Przydacz, according to broadcaster TVP Info.
Earlier in the day, Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv in a show of US support for Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion, according to news outlets.
While in Kyiv the US president met with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky and promised USD 500 million worth of new military aid to Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky meet in Kyiv on Monday. Photo: EPA/PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY
During his visit to Poland, Biden is expected to meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda, deliver a major speech in the gardens of Warsaw’s Royal Castle to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and attend a summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) group of eastern-flank NATO allies, officials have said.
Biden will also hold talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and meet with US embassy staff when he is in Warsaw on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the White House.
The US embassy in Warsaw has said that Biden will on Tuesday "deliver remarks ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, addressing how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy, and how we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes."
The Polish president has said in a media interview that he will ask Biden to send more American soldiers and military equipment to Poland when the US leader visits Warsaw this week amid Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Duda also said in the interview that Biden’s key speech in Warsaw would be "delivered to the world” and would "have great, symbolic importance for building our security system.”
John Kirby, the US National Security Council's Coordinator for Strategic Communications, has told the media that Biden wants to thank Duda and the Polish people for their tremendous support of Ukraine.
"Poland has been a strident ally, a tremendous supporter of Ukraine, and a generous host not only to American troops, but millions of Ukrainian refugees who have fled there in safety," Kirby said last week.
He added: "The President wants to thank President Duda in person. He wants to thank the Polish people in person. He wants to make broader points about how it’s important for the kind of courage and unity we’re seeing out of Poland and so many NATO Allies continues, sadly, into what will now be a second year of war."
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Monday was day 362 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info