**First Lady Jill Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine, Meets With Zelenskyy**.
**Washington, D.C.** – United States First Lady Jill Biden made a surprise visit to western Ukraine on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2023, to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska. The visit, which was not previously announced for security reasons, is the highest-profile visit by a U.S. official to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022..
During her visit, Dr. Biden met with Mrs. Zelenska at a school in the western Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod. The two first ladies embraced and exchanged gifts, with Dr. Biden giving Mrs. Zelenska a wooden box containing a handwritten note from President Joe Biden and a bouquet of flowers..
Dr. Biden then met with President Zelenskyy at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv. The two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis it has caused. Dr. Biden also expressed her support for the Ukrainian people and their resilience in the face of adversity..
In a statement released after the meeting, President Biden said that Dr. Biden’s visit was a .
