The First Lady of the US, Jill Biden, made a surprise visit to Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska. Biden arrived in Ukraine at Uzhhorod. She made an appearance at a school that is housing and sheltering 163 displaced Ukrainians, including 47 children. Biden made the stop as part of a Mother’s Day weekend excursion to the area. She spent time in Romania with US forces and interacted with displaced Ukrainian people. Jill’s travel to Ukraine coincided with Russia’s Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
Jill gifted flowers to Olena Zelenska. She said, “I wanted to come on Mother’s Day. 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.”, Jill Biden said.
Zelenska’s first public appearance since February 24
This is Zelenska’s first public appearance since Russia invaded the country on February 24. Biden was in Ukraine for around two hours. It included an hour-long private conversation with Zelenska before speaking with youngsters who are housed at the school.
“Because we understand what it takes for the U.S. first lady to come here during a war when the military actions are taking place every day, where the air sirens are happening every day even today,” Zelenska said.
“We all feel your support and we all feel the leadership of the U.S. president, but we would like to note that Mother’s Day is a very symbolic day for us because we also feel your love and support during such an important day,” she added.
Russia began what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24. Since then, the UN estimates that 5.8 million people have fled the country. Jill Biden and Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger paid a visit to Vysne Nemecke, the primary road crossing on Slovakia’s 98-kilometer border with Ukraine, later that day. She thanked officials and non-governmental organizations. It was followed by a quick prayer for refugees in an impromptu chapel built up in one of the numerous tents set up by humanitarian organizations.