President Joe Biden’s secret visit to Ukraine on Monday took many by surprise. But what was even more surprising was the motivation behind the visit. Monday afternoon Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky made a joint appearance in Kyiv. During the appearance Biden spoke about the ongoing support the US was committed to providing. “The cost that Ukraine has had to bear has been extraordinarily high,” Biden said. “And the sacrifices have been far too great.”
Biden’s speech then took an unexpected twist. “While the US and the world have done so much to support Ukraine over the past year, it hasn’t been enough. And we’ve inexcusably overlooked one of the most important marginalized groups in the Ukraine military, the LgBTQ+n community. Ukraine’s military’s diversity is its greatest strength. And in the spirit of preserving Diversity Inclusion and Equity, the US is committing millions in support for gender affirming care to Ukrainian soldiers. We stand proud with our brothers and sisters of the Ukraine Army. And after you’ve fought your balls off for this country, we’ll be here to ensure you didn’t lose them for nothing.”