Biden on 1-year war anniversary: 'Brutality will never grind down the will of the free'

On the one-year anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed his vow that "Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia."

"A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase the people’s love of liberty. Brutality will never grind down the will of the free," Biden added.

Also on Feb. 24, the U.S. government announced its latest defense aid package for Ukraine, totaling $2 billion. The package includes additional ammunition for HIMARS (High-Mobility Rocket Artillery Systems), 155mm artillery rounds, munitions for laser-guided rocket systems, and funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment of equipment.

Earlier on Feb. 20, Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, pledging $500 million in military aid, including javelins, howitzers, and artillery ammunition.

He met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and praised the strength of Ukrainian resistance before traveling to Warsaw to meet Polish President Andrzej Duda and other European leaders. While in Warsaw, he delivered a speech on Ukraine's fight to 30,000 people.

"One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv. Well, I've just come from a visit to Kyiv, and I can report Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall and most important, it stands free," he said.

One year later: How Russia came to fail in Ukraine, battle after battle

The Kyiv Independent