London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

How the US reacted to Biden’s visit to Ukraine

How the US reacted to Biden’s visit to Ukraine

Far-right US lawmakers criticise the president’s trip to Kyiv, arguing that Biden should prioritise domestic issues.
Some right-wing United States Republicans are slamming Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine, invoking crises at home that they accuse the president of ignoring as he pledges support for Kyiv.

The opposition to Biden’s previously unannounced visit on Monday highlighted the views of a small but vocal cohort of ultraconservative US legislators who are sceptical of US support for Ukraine.

First-term Republican Congressman Andy Ogles accused Biden of prioritising “political field trips” on Monday.

“America-last Biden visited UKRAINE before visiting the people living through an environmental crisis in East Palestine, Ohio,” Ogles wrote on Twitter, referring to a toxic chemicals spill after a train derailment in Ohio earlier this month.

Still, the trip earned praise from Democrats who lauded Biden’s “leadership” in supporting Ukraine against the Russian invasion.


Many Republican critics noted that Biden left the country on Presidents’ Day, a US holiday honouring the country’s first president, George Washington. They also cited what they called a “crisis” at the US’s southern border, where record numbers of asylum seekers have arrived in recent months in search of protection.

“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,” far-right firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said in a social media post.

Her fellow right-wing legislator Matt Gaetz quipped that Ukrainians “can keep” the US president.

“When our border is in crisis, Joe Biden goes home to nap in Delaware,” Gaetz wrote on Twitter.

“When Ohio burns with toxic chemicals, Biden’s admin says everything is fine. So on Presidents’ Day, I’m not surprised that Biden is ditching America for Ukraine.”

Biden announced $500m in additional aid to Ukraine during his trip on Monday, part of a growing tally of assistance in the billions of dollars that Washington has provided to Kyiv since the invasion started last year.

That continuing assistance has so far been approved by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine on February 24 – nearly one year ago – after a months-long standoff that saw Moscow amass troops near the Ukrainian borders as Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded an end to NATO expansion into former Soviet republics.

Moscow’s war campaign has been mired by military setbacks, as Western powers continue to provide financial and military support to Kyiv. Russian officials have said that sending arms to Ukraine prolongs and intensifies the conflict.

“Breathtaking that President Biden can show up in Ukraine to ensure their border is secure, but can’t do the same for America,” Republican Congressman Scott Perry said in a tweet on Monday.

Most congressional Republicans still back US support for Ukraine, and many of them fault Biden for not being more aggressive against Russia.

But Ukraine’s supporters fear that “America First” isolationism may be gaining a greater foothold in conservative politics ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.

The Biden administration says it is committed to supporting Ukraine “as long as it takes” to help the country fight the Russian invasion.

US officials say the aid is necessary not only for the sake of Ukrainian allies but also to preserve rules against unprovoked wars and protect the international order.

In Kyiv, Biden described the Russian invasion as “brutal and unjust” as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“One year later, Kyiv stands, and Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Biden said. “The Americans stand with you, and the world stands with you.”

Back in the US, many Democrats lauded Biden’s visit to Kyiv, which came days before the first anniversary of the invasion.


Senator Cori Bush said in a social media post that Biden’s trip was a “reminder of the power of our presidency and how, when used responsibly, it can lift people up & be a beacon for freedom & democracy around the world”.

Adam Schiff, a key House Democrat, said he was “proud” to see Biden express Washington’s “unbreakable” support to Kyiv.

“We stand with the people of Ukraine in their struggle to push out Russian invaders, to enjoy the right of self-determination, and to live in peace,” Schiff wrote on Twitter.

Democratic Congressman Jason Crow dismissed the Republican criticism of Biden’s visit.

“These people know nothing about national security and foreign policy,” Crow told MSNBC.

“They don’t understand that it’s in our strategic interests and our security interests and the American people’s interests to have a stable, prosperous and free Europe and a free world, and that’s what this fight is about.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×