When a US president travels abroad, security is often so tight that entire cities grind to a halt. Probably the most powerful man in the world usually travels with a huge entourage, his own armored limousine and a horde of security forces, as well as many journalists. US President Joe Biden’s visit to embattled Ukraine, which was kept secret until the end, was completely different.
According to the only two journalists who traveled with him, it was a very unusual presidential trip from Washington via Germany and Poland to Kiev. Biden left Andrews Air Force Base, near the capital Washington, in the early hours of Sunday (local time). He didn’t use the usual plane used by US presidents – the converted Boeing 747 known as Air Force One – but a smaller and therefore less visible machine.
En route to Poland, the plane landed at the US Air Force base in Ramstein, Germany, to refuel, reported journalists traveling with him after Biden’s visit to Ukraine ended on Monday night. The flight’s destination was the Polish city of Rzeszów, close to the Polish-Ukrainian border.
From there, at night, Biden drove in a convoy of SUVs, vans and other vehicles to the Przemyśl city train station, some 90 kilometers away – and without blue lights, to attract as little attention as possible. In Przemyśl, his vehicle drove up to the carriage, which allowed him to quickly – and likely unnoticed – board his train. According to journalists traveling on the train, the train had about eight carriages, many of which were occupied by security guards. Around 22:00, the train crossed the border into Ukraine.
The train arrived in Kiev around 8 am on Monday morning (local time). “It’s good to be back in Kiev,” Biden is reported to have said after leaving. From the train station, Biden was then taken by convoy, which also included armored vehicles, to the Presidential Palace in Kiev, where he was received by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After his busy visiting schedule, Biden left shortly after 1 pm – about five hours later – by train for Poland.
Due to security concerns, Biden’s travel details were only announced late on Monday night, after Biden had already left the airport near Rzeszów for Warsaw. Biden is visiting the Polish capital on Tuesday and Wednesday for bilateral talks, a speech marking the anniversary of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and a meeting with nations on NATO’s eastern flank.
The White House stressed on Monday that Biden’s trip to an active war zone – despite lengthy and painstaking preparation – was unusual given the security risks. Visits by former US presidents to Afghanistan or Iraq, for example, which were kept secret until the end, were made easier because the US military was there for protection and logistics – unlike Ukraine.
However, the US government had at least informed opponents of the war in advance of Ukraine, which also repeatedly attacks Kiev with rockets. The White House said Russia was informed of travel plans a few hours in advance to avoid an unwanted escalation. The Kremlin later confirmed that it had been informed in advance.
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