President Biden's visit to Ukraine required careful, quiet planning

This is really the most important visit or the whole history of Ukraine. You asked relationship. A year ago, President Biden spoke to Ukraine's President Zelensky by phone as Russia invaded. Today, the two stood side by side in the war toward country's capital of Kiev. A city Russia failed to overtake and a symbol of Ukraine's resistance. It's a trip White House officials called a bold and unprecedented

and drawn. National security officials say the trip was meticulously planned over months and in coordination with Ukraine. Officials said Biden made the final decision just days ago, having been briefed and satisfied the risk was manageable. The trip was kept under wraps, but National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Russia was notified hours ahead of departure for deconfliction purposes. It was probably something that the Russians understood that

there was a real risk to them of trying to do something. Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Stephen Pfeiffer, says that given the logistics, the trip was impressive. Posting a presidential visit is a big deal. The logistics are nightmarish and how they pulled this off with everything being held under wraps, I think, was a real tribute to the organization of the visit. But at the court, officials

describe a president who wanted to stand with Zelensky a strong sign of American support. One year later, Kiev stands and Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. And so when it comes to that deconfliction, call how Russia reacted and the tone of that message is not something White House officials are revealing tonight.