Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are set to give duelling speeches Tuesday promising two starkly differing takes on Russia’s Ukraine invasion, a day after the US president’s surprise visit to Kyiv. Biden met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday — pledging fresh arms deliveries and “unwavering” American support — days before the first anniversary of Russian tanks rolling over the border. In a visit to rally Washington’s eastern European allies, Biden will also meet Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday. “Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” Biden said Monday. According to the latest estimates from Norway, the conflict has wounded or killed 180,000 Russian soldiers and 100,000 Ukrainian troops.
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