The Albany Gazette - Jill Biden to meet Ukrainian refugees on Slovakia, Romania trip

Romania and Slovakia have taken in hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.

In Slovakia on Sunday, celebrated as Mother's Day in the United States, Biden will travel to the city of Kosice and village of Vysne Nemecke to meet with refugees, aid workers and the Slovakians who are supporting them.

"On Mother's Day, she will meet with Ukrainian mothers and children who have been forced to flee their home country because of Putin's war," Biden's office said.

The first lady's visit is the latest show of US support for Ukraine and the countries assisting it.

Her trip follows a trip to Kyiv by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday.

During her May 5-9 travels, Biden will visit US service members in Romania on Friday before heading to Bucharest.

In the Romanian capital on Saturday, she will meet with members of the government, US embassy staff and teachers working with displaced Ukrainian children, the statement from her office said.

Her trip also includes a visit to the Slovak capital Bratislava to meet with US embassy staff and government officials.

Nearly 5.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion on February 24, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

Just over three million fled to Poland, while Romania has taken in 817,000 and Slovakia nearly 372,000, as of April 29.

US President Joe Biden has proposed a huge $33 billion package for arming and supporting Ukraine.

(F.Schuster--BBZ)