Biden renews military aid during surprise Kiev visit

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As the anniversary of the war in Ukraine nears, US President Joe Biden visited Kiev on Monday promising to deliver increased arms for Ukraine and expressing his unceasing support.

This is Biden's first trip to the country since the war started on February 24, 2022. Air raid sirens rang out across Kiev as both Presidents met.

Biden took the chance to promise Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky that more arms will be sent and that they have his unflagging commitment to helping Ukraine. 

Read more: Zelensky lands in US, meets with Biden

In a White House statement, Biden was quoted as saying, "I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments."

Zelensky took Biden's visit as a key sign of support. He welcomed the American president in an English message on Telegram and called his visit "an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians." 

The visit came as China was bashing US claims of it supplying Russia with aid for the war in Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that China was considering the provision of arms to Russia in the midst of the Ukraine war, warning that arms supplies from Beijing to Washington would "cause a serious problem.

Joseph Borrell, EU"s foreign policy chief told China that sending arms to Russia would be a "red line" in their relationship. 

Read more: China mulling giving weapons to Russia amid war, US claims

China however lashed out at this claim. "We never accept the US's finger-pointing or even coercion targeting China-Russia relations," said the Chinese foreign ministry in a statement published after the meeting.

When asked about the claim, he added, "It is the United States and not China that is endlessly shipping weapons to the battlefield."