US buzz: Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine, North Korea’s missiles and Jimmy Carter in hospice care

Here’s your weekly roundup of the most compelling US stories from the week gone by:Biden’s surprise visit to UkraineChidanand comments on how remarkable not only Biden’s visit was, but also how the logistics of it were kept under wraps for the most part of his trip. According to Chidanand, it was a very high risk visit, and he explains how the President of the United States is one of the most monitored people in this world, with most of his movements being tracked and accounted for. So at any given time, White House reporters are aware of what the President is doing. On Friday, February 17, people knew that President Biden was scheduled to visit Poland the following Tuesday. On Saturday, he was occupied with quiet, private engagements mostly with First Lady Jill Biden. According to Chidanand, the expectation was that the President would enjoy a quiet Sunday before heading out to Poland the following week. However, within 24 hours, much to the shock of the White House press pool, the President surfaced in Ukraine. Chidanand explains how when the President goes on foreign tours, he always takes a helicopter to the destination, and how the White House press pool trails behind him. However, in this trip, he took the train at the dead of night to Andrews Air Force Base and boarded a transport plane, instead of the usual Air Force 1, accompanied by only two journalists: a reporter from the Washington Street Journal and a photographer from the Associated Press. However, during his visit, President Biden announced that the US will back Ukraine against Russia for "as long as it takes". After that, the Secretary of State announced fresh security packages to Ukraine worth 450 million dollars. Chidanand believes that these announcements and Biden’s visit is sure to provoke Russia into ramping up their ammunition. Jimmy Carter in hospice careThe longest living former US president Jimmy Carter has decided to receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention for brain cancer. According to Chidanand, President Carter will go down in history as one of the most enigmatic presidencies. During the time he was president, in the 70s, he was not highly regarded simply because his presidency ended in a fiasco, related to a hostage crisis. However Chidanand also highlights how the reviews of his presidency, post his tenure at the White House were positive, and he believes that Carter would be regarded as a notable US President simply because of the qualities he showed post presidency. Chidanand also underlines a connection that Carter shares with India.North Korea’s missilesEarlier this week, North Korea launched two more ballistic missiles off its east coast. Kim Jong Un’s influential sister also warned that North Korea using the Pacific as a "firing range" would depend on the behaviour of U.S. forces. Chidanand points out the contrast between the two sides of North Korea, how on one hand there are reports that surface on how the North Korean people are starving and impoverished, and on the other hand, the country is seen to conduct missile launches with remarkable frequency.Audio production: Sahil Gupta