President Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite the secrecy surrounding the visit, he met with President

Zelensky and announced $500 million in new assistance, including artillery, ammunition, Javelins, and Howitzers.

Speaking about Ukraine's resilience, Biden said, "One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands." This visit came just before his planned trip to Poland, where he was due to discuss increasing US troops in the country.

The war in Ukraine has taken a massive toll on its people, with hundreds of thousands of lives lost and millions displaced from their homes. However, aid from the US and its allies has helped Ukraine defend its territories against Russian aggression. The US alone has provided over $100 billion in arms and aid to Ukraine, with $62.3 billion spent by the Pentagon in the past year on weapons, ammunition, and training.

Despite this assistance, little progress has been made on the frontlines in recent months, with both sides preparing for offensives expected in the spring. Photo by Andriy155, Wikimedia commons.