the lead starts right now. president biden s surprise trip to ukraine, how did the white house pull it off? plus the new promise the president is making while some republicans chastise him for growing. russian families on the run from the brutal war and ending up at the u.s. southern border. what one family went through to escape. and the murder of a bishop found dead in his california home. new details just coming in in this case. welcome to the lead. i am john berman in for jake tapper. moments ago president biden arrived back in poland after his unannounced trip to ukraine and stood side by side with president zelenskyy where biden declared putin is failing as the war nears its one year mark. biden said his trip was important to reaffirm unwavering u.s. support. one year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of kyiv. america stands with you, and the world stands with you. as part of the trip, biden announced another half million-dollars in assistance for ukrain
not staking together. he thought he could outlast us. i don t think he s thinking that right now. reporter: while zelenskyy called the moment the most important in the history of the u.s.-ukraine relationship. translator: this is the visit in this most difficult period for ukraine when ukraine is fighting for our own liberty. today our negotiations were very fruitful. they were very important and crucial. reporter: negotiations about continued military aid. today president biden announcing an almost half billion dollar aid package including ammunition, howitzers and air defense, but big-ticket items like longer range missiles and fighter jets still up for discussion. tran tran this conversation brings us closer to victory. reporter: this surprise, unprecedented visit on the eve of a bloody anniversary. extreme secrecy shrouding biden s journey. no word but there were signs, deserted streets and heavy police presence suggesting a prominent arrival. president biden left
biden took aim at russian president vladimir putin saying his conquest of ukraine has failed. cnn s alex marquardt is in kyiv with more on this historic, unannounced and in many ways unprecedented trip that zelenskyy says brought ukraine, quote, closer to victory. reporter: as if on qucue, th air raid sirens cutting through the crisp, cool morning. together briefly visiting st. michael s church before emerging to lay a pair of wreaths and ukrainian and american flags in front of a war of portraits of soldiers that died. putin thought ukraine was weak and the west was divided. as you know, mr. president, i said to you, he s counting on us