Apr 15, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Psaki says Biden not planning to visit Ukraine

Erin Doherty

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing in the James S Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2022 — White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing on April 13. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden is not scheduled to visit Ukraine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday.

Driving the news: "He is ready for anything. The man likes a fast car, some aviators — he's ready to go to Ukraine," Psaki said on the "Pod Save America" podcast. But, she added, "we are not sending the president to Ukraine."

Psaki's remarks come after reports surfaced this week that the White House is considering sending a senior U.S. government official to travel to Ukraine.
Psaki said U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who made a surprise visit to Ukraine last weekend, "took an eight-hour train through a war zone to get to the middle of Ukraine."
"So no, that is not in the plans for the president of the United States," Psaki said. "We should all be maybe relieved about that."
"You're welcome, America. We need him to do a lot of things," she added.

Catch up quick: Biden on Thursday told reporters that he was still working with his team to determine whether they should send a senior government official to Ukraine.

"We're making that decision now," he said.

Go deeper: Boris Johnson pledges financial, military aid after meeting Zelensky in Kyiv

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Psaki says Biden not planning to visit Ukraine

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