Shortly after President Joe Biden’s safe return from Ukraine to Poland, the White House agreed to publish information about the behind-the-scenes of a risky visit to Kiev. Only two journalists were allowed to travel with the American president. Sabrina Siddiqui of The Wall Street Journal, who was accompanying Biden, said that during the trip they were not allowed to have cell phones with them, and the whole enterprise was conducted in an atmosphere of the highest secrecy.
Joe Biden on Monday evening he returned to Poland from a surprising trip to Kiev. President USA he arrived in Przemyśl by train.
Joe Biden arrived from Kiev by trainPOOL / Reuters / Forum
In full secrecy
Biden was accompanied by only two journalists – Sabrina Siddiqui of The Wall Street Journal and AP photographer Evan Wucci.
They could only inform about the details of the visit after Biden’s safe return from Ukraine.
As reported by Siddiqui, they learned about the possibility of a joint trip only on Friday. They had to swear to keep the highest secrecy. Then they would wait for an e-mail with instructions on “traveling to a golf tournament.”
The journey began on Sunday morning US time at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington. The reporters were seated in the Air Force C-32, a specially converted Boeing 757. This, as explained by Marcin Wrona, the correspondent of “Fakty TVN” in Washington, is a machine most often used for flights to smaller airports, usually for flights within the USA.
Read Too: Biden in Kiev. Highlights of visits
The plane – as reported by Siddiqui – was waiting for take-off with the lights off, away from the runway. The blinds on the machine were closed.
The passenger Boeing in the government colors took off from the runway on Sunday at 4:15 a.m. EST (around 10:15 a.m. Polish time).
POOL / Reuters / Forum
With a stop in Germany
Air Force One with President Biden on board landed at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany at 5:30 p.m. Polish time. It was necessary to refuel before continuing our journey to Poland.
Behind the scenes of Joe Biden’s trip to Kiev. Marcin Wrona, the correspondent of “Fakty” TVNTVN24/ENEX
The plane took off again at 18.29 to be at the Rzeszów-Jasionka airport at 19.57. At 20.12 the presidential convoy set off towards Przemyśl. The convoy consisted of minivans, SUVs and other vehicles. Sirens were not used during the journey so as not to attract attention.
At the train station in Przemyśl, President Biden was at 21.15. “It was relatively quiet at this time of night, with a handful of people hanging around in front of the station, and the stalls seemed closed,” reads a report from a trip to the Ukrainian capital.
The squad left for Kiev at 21:37. Along the way – as we read in the report of the journalist “The Wall Street Journal” – there were several stops during which the security of the president was strengthened. The train arrived at the site at 8 am local time (i.e. around 9 am Polish time).
Journalists traveling with the US president received their cell phones back only at the American embassy in Kiev.
Main photo source: POOL / Reuters / Forum