LIVE: President Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv as Russia's war against Ukraine enters 2nd year

Published February 20, 2023 at 6:56 AM EST

TOPSHOT-UKRAINE-US-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR-DIPLOMACY — US President Joe Biden (L) walks next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) past a religious mural at the St. Michaels Golden-Domed Cathedral, as he arrives for a visit in Kyiv on February 20, 2023.

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President Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, a somewhat risky move aimed at expressing solidarity with Ukrainians as Russia's invasion of their country heads into a second year.

Here's what you need to know.

New aid: Biden announced a half a billion dollars of additional assistance to Ukraine, as well as new sanctions on individuals and corporations that support Russia.
A successful secret: The White House told reporters they'd been planning this trip for months. Officials even gave Russia a head's up for de-escalation purposes.
The war, one year on: As sirens wailed around Kyiv, Biden's visit marked a new push by Russian forces to take control of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, which Russia illegally annexed last September.
What's next: Biden left Kyiv by early afternoon (local time). He was scheduled for diplomatic talks in neighboring Poland on Tuesday.