Jill Biden, Justin Trudeau visit Ukraine

"I thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war has to stop," Biden said.

 US first lady Jill Biden meets with Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, at School 6, a public school that has taken in displaced students in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, May 8, 2022. (photo credit: Susan Walsh/Pool via REUTERS REFILE)
US first lady Jill Biden meets with Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, at School 6, a public school that has taken in displaced students in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, May 8, 2022.
(photo credit: Susan Walsh/Pool via REUTERS REFILE)

The US first lady Jill Biden arrived in Ukraine on an unannounced visit on Sunday, Ms. Biden met with Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska in Uzhhorod, the Transcarpathian Regional Council updated on their Telegram.

"I thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war has to stop and this war has been brutal and that the people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine,” Biden said.

The first lady flew to Romania and Slovakia on Friday, in order to spend Mothers Day with Ukrainian mothers and children refugees.

Jill Biden returned to Slovakia after her trip across the border.

In addition, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Irpin in the Kyiv region.

The Mayor of Irpen, Oleksandr Markushin, briefed Trudeau on the "horror that the Russian occupiers have done to the city," and added "Trudeau was shocked by the severe damage to homes and non-military facilities," Markushin said in a Facebook post.

"The prime minister is in Ukraine to meet with President Zelenskiy and reaffirm Canada's unwavering support for the Ukrainian people," said Cameron Ahmad, director of communications for Trudeau.

In his visit Trudeau announced new weapons and equipment for Ukraine.


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Trudeau, addressing a news conference after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, also said Canada was imposing new sanctions on Russian individuals and entities in connection with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"Today, I'm announcing more military assistance, drone cameras, satellite imagery, small arms, ammunition and other support, including funding for demining operations," Trudeau said.

"And we're bringing forward new sanctions on 40 Russian individuals and five entities, oligarchs and close associates of the regime in the defense sector, all of them complicit in Putin's war," in a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said Canada was reopening its embassy in the Ukrainian capital.

Canada was also providing $25 million to the U.N.'s World Food Programme as part of efforts to uphold food security and would remove trade tariffs on all Ukrainian imports to Canada for next year.

These visits come following a telephone call between US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where they "underscored their commitment to continue holding Russia accountable for its brutal actions in Ukraine, and reviewed their ongoing efforts to provide security assistance to the government of Ukraine and economic and humanitarian aid to the millions of Ukrainians affected by the violence."