Biden told the media on Monday that he would visit Poland but did not know when, after news reports suggested he was considering a trip to Europe to coincide with the February 24 anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"I’m going to be going to Poland; I don’t know when, though,” Biden said on Monday, responding to a question from Polish Radio’s Washington correspondent Marek Wałkuski.
Biden's trip 'further down the road'?
A White House official told Wałkuski on Tuesday that Biden’s visit to Poland may not coincide with the anniversary of the war.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if the trip happened further down the road," the official said.
The official added that no final decision had been made.
News outlets reported last week that Biden may travel to Europe and visit Poland in February to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to the US broadcaster CNN, White House officials are discussing the possibility of such a trip and details have yet to be finalized.
A senior US administration official has said that one stop under consideration is Poland, a key NATO ally housing thousands of American troops and a hub for Western weapons transfers to Ukraine, CNN has reported.
US service members are also training Ukrainian troops in Poland, the official said, according to CNN.
Due to security concerns, it is highly unlikely that Biden would travel to Ukraine as part of this trip, officials have said.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Tuesday is day 342 of Russia’s war against its southern neighbour.
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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, whitehouse.gov