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US President Joe Biden has become the latest and most powerful Western leader to visit Kyiv since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

The show of solidarity for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his people came as a surprise to many, as the White House said last week that the US president had no intention of visiting Ukraine.

Whether or not that statement was true at the time is something we will likely never know, but some details of how the president’s secretive and historic visit was carried out are beginning to emerge.

Here is how the high-security operation unfolded.

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‘I gotta handshake here, too?’

Journalists told to await ‘arrival instructions for the golf tourney’

Two journalists were summoned to a private meeting with the White House’s communications director Kate Bedingfield on Friday.

They were informed that President Biden would be travelling to Kyiv and that they were the only two journalists who would be allowed to travel with him.

They would form the “travel pool” – meaning it would be their responsibility to share details with other news organisations.

These pool reporters were sworn to secrecy about the trip and told to look out for an email containing instructions for an early Sunday morning departure from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

The subject line would read: “Arrival instructions for the golf tourney.”

The email arrived just after 3pm eastern US time (8pm UK time) on Saturday.

The journalists were told to report to the Andrews base between 2am and 2.15am eastern US time (7am and 7.15am UK time) the following morning.

Joe Biden sits on the train with his National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Pic: AP
Image:
Joe Biden sits on the train with his National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Pic: AP

Departure from the air base

The pool journalists arrived at the base and had their phones taken from them. The devices were not returned until their arrival at the US embassy in Kyiv more than 24 hours later.

They then boarded an Air Force C-32 often used to fly into smaller airports during domestic travel.

Before its departure, the plane sat in the dark next to a hangar with the shades drawn and away from the tarmac where it is typically parked for presidential travel.

Air Force One departed from the Andrews base at 4.15am eastern US time (9.15am UK time) on Sunday.

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Biden talks ‘very fruitful’ – Zelenskyy

Biden arrives in Germany

Air Force One touched down at Ramstein Air Base in Germany at 5.13pm local time (4.13pm UK time) Sunday under slightly overcast skies to refuel after an approximately seven-hour flight.

The plane remained with its shades down for the duration of its time on the ground, which lasted roughly an hour and 15 minutes.

The journalists on board remained in the press cabin the entire time and did not see Mr Biden at any point during the flight or stop in Ramstein.

Air Force One took off at 6.29pm local time (5.29pm UK time) after the sun had set and the skies were dark.

Pic: AP
Image:
Pic: AP

Arrival in Rzeszow

Air Force One landed at the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland at 7.57pm local time (8:57pm UK time) on Sunday.

The airport was clear upon Mr Biden’s arrival.

The journalists did not see the US president get out of Air Force One before he was quickly ushered towards an SUV.

The president’s motorcade began rolling at 8.12pm local time (7.12pm UK time) on a roughly one-hour drive along a fairly empty eastbound highway.

One of the pool journalists counted at least 20 cars in the motorcade which consisted of a mix of minivans, SUVs and suburbans – and sirens were not used to avoid drawing attention.

Pic: AP
Image:
Pic: AP

Biden catches the train from Poland to Ukraine

Biden’s motorcade arrived at the Przemysl Głowny train station at approximately 9.15pm local time (8.15pm UK time).

The motorcade pulled directly up to a train that was mostly purple with two large strips at the bottom from its exterior and large square windows with the shades mostly drawn.

A handful of the train cars were blue with a yellow stripe along the middle and were reminiscent of the trains that have brought refugees into Poland from Ukraine.

Mr Biden was dropped directly in front of his train car.

The pool journalists were escorted to their own train car and put in separate sleeper cabins, each of which contained four single bunkbed-style beds.

One of the journalists was told by a security officer that the train had approximately eight cars, including the engines.

Most of the train was occupied by a heavy security presence.

A small group of passengers awaiting a separate train on the opposite side of the tracks were huddled in conversation and occasionally glanced over, but it was unclear if they could make out any of the activity unfolding before them.

The train left Przemysl Głowny at 9.37pm local time (8.37pm UK time).

One of the pool journalists was told by an agent on board that the train crossed the border into Ukraine at roughly 10pm local time on Sunday but this was not confirmed.

Much of the journey occurred in the dark and so there was little visible beyond streetlights and the shadows of buildings in the distance.

There was no interaction between the pool journalists and White House staff traveling with the president throughout the 10-hour journey, nor any sightings of Mr Biden on his favourite mode of transport.

There were a handful of stops, at least once to pick up additional security, along the way. It was not always clear what prompted the stops, most of which were brief, and the journalists were isolated from the staff on board.

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Biden and Zelenskyy meet in Kyiv

Biden arrives in Kyiv

The sun had risen as the train carrying President Biden approached the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

One of the journalists aboard described how “views from the window largely consisted of graffiti walls, barren winter trees and a colourful assortment of brick homes – many of them in pastel colours”.

The train came to a stop at the Kyiv-Pasazhyrsky station at roughly 8am local time (6am UK time) on Monday.

The area around the platform had been cleared and US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, awaited Mr Biden and his staff in chilly outdoor conditions.

The president’s first words after stepping off the train were: “It’s good to be back in Kyiv.”

The motorcade, which again was a mix of SUVs, minivans and armoured vehicles, rolled from the train station to Mariinsky Palace – the official residence of the Ukrainian president.

Along the way, the motorcade passed Kyiv’s Independence Square, the site of major demonstrations in 2013 and 2014.

The president’s stops consisted of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace, a walkabout with Mr Zelenskyy at St. Michael’s Cathedral, and a stop at the US embassy in Kyiv.

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Joe Biden arrives in Poland

Biden heads back to Poland

Biden departed Kyiv just before 1.10pm local time (11.10am UK time) in the same train he arrived in.

The train crossed the border back into Poland shortly after 8pm local time (7pm UK time).

The train arrived at the Przemyśl Główny at 8:45pm (7.45pm).

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs holds head in his hands as jury reaches a partial verdict

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs holds head in his hands as jury reaches a partial verdict

Jurors in the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs have reached a verdict on four of the five counts against him – but the hip-hop mogul will have to wait to learn his fate.

In tense scenes towards the end of the court day on Tuesday, jurors sent a note to say they had reached verdicts on two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation for prostitution, but had been unable to reach a unanimous decision on the charge of racketeering conspiracy.

Combs‘s lawyers surrounded him at the defence table after the note was sent to the court, and at one point he held his head in his hands.

After discussions with prosecution and defence lawyers, Judge Arun Subramanian told jurors to continue deliberating on Wednesday rather than deliver a partial verdict.

Diddy trial – live updates

Sean 'Diddy' Combs and his attorney Marc Agnifilo. Pic: Reuters/ Jane Rosenberg
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Combs and one of his lawyers, Marc Agnifilo, earlier in the day. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg

The jury has testimony from more than 30 witnesses to consider – including Combs’s former long-term partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and another former girlfriend called “Jane”, who testified under a pseudonym to protect her identity.

Prosecutors allege the 55-year-old rapper used his fame and power to force Cassie and “Jane” into drug-fuelled sex sessions with male sex workers, which were referred to as “freak-offs”, “wild king nights”, or “hotel nights”.

He was also physically violent and blackmailed them with footage, jurors were told.

They also heard from “Mia”, a former employee who alleged she was sexually assaulted by the rapper on several occasions during her career. She also testified using a pseudonym.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his defence team has argued that prosecutors are attempting to criminalise what they say was a consensual “swingers lifestyle”.

The rapper chose not to testify and his lawyers did not call any witnesses, building their arguments instead through lengthy cross-examinations of the witnesses called by the prosecution.

The charges against Diddy – and potential sentences

Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy – up to life in prison

Count 2: Sex-trafficking of Cassie Ventura – a minimum of 15 years and maximum of life in prison

Count 3: Transporting individuals including but not limited to Cassie Ventura to engage in prostitution – a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison

Count 4: Sex-trafficking of Jane* – a minimum of 15 years and maximum of life in prison

Count 5: Transporting individuals including but not limited to Jane to engage in prostitution – a maximum of 10 years in prison

What is racketeering conspiracy?

Racketeering conspiracy, which is count one on the verdict sheet, is the most complicated of the charges against Combs.

Jurors need to decide not only whether the rapper created a “racketeering enterprise”, but also if he was involved in various offences as part of this, including kidnapping, arson and bribery.

The charge falls under the US’s RICO laws (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act), which is best known for being used in relation to organised crime and drug cartel cases.

Read more:
Prosecution’s closing argument
Defence’s closing argument

After closing arguments last week, jurors began deliberation on Monday and had spent about 13 hours discussing in total by the time they sent their note.

Before reaching the verdict on the four counts, they had requested to review crucial testimony from Cassie about her account of an assault in a hotel in Los Angeles in 2016.

Captured on CCTV, the footage was played in court several times – showing Combs, wearing only a towel and socks, beating, kicking and dragging Cassie in a hallway.

His defence team admitted in their opening statement that this was domestic violence, and said the music star regretted these actions – but that they did not amount to any of the federal charges against him.

Read more:
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
What we learned from Cassie’s testimony

As well as Cassie’s evidence on that assault, they asked to see her testimony on an incident at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 – when she said Combs accused her of taking drugs from him and kicked her off of his yacht.

On their way back to the US, she told the court, he threatened to release explicit videos of her having sex with an escort.

Jurors also wanted to review testimony given by a male sex worker at the start of the trial.

Combs could face 15 years to life in prison if he is convicted of all charges.

Jurors will continue deliberating on the racketeering conspiracy charge on Wednesday.

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Elon Musk steps up attacks on Trump once again – as the president fights back

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Elon Musk steps up attacks on Trump once again - as the president fights back

Elon Musk has stepped up his attacks on Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill – weeks after a spectacular fallout between the world’s richest man and the US president.

Following weeks of relative silence after clashing with Mr Trump over his “big beautiful bill”, the billionaire vowed to unseat politicians who support it.

In a post on X, Musk said those who had campaigned on cutting spending but then backed the bill “should hang their heads in shame”.

He added: “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

Musk also threatened to put their faces on a poster which said “liar” and “voted to increase America’s debt” by $5trn (£3.6trn).

The posts attracted a swift reply from Mr Trump, who claimed the billionaire “may get more subsidy than any human being in history” for his electric car business.

“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

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Elon’s dad on the Musk-Trump bust-up

Musk spent at least $250m (£182m) supporting Mr Trump in his presidential campaign and then led the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which sacked about 120,000 federal employees.

He has argued the legislation would greatly increase the US national debt and wipe out the savings he claimed he achieved through DOGE.

As the Senate discussed the package, Musk called it “utterly insane and destructive”.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said the bill’s massive spending indicated “we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”

“Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” he wrote.

Read more from Sky News:
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Royal train to be scrapped with family to rely on helicopters

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Musk previously said some of his social media posts during his dramatic fallout with Mr Trump “went too far”.

He had shared a series of posts on X, including one that described Mr Trump’s tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination”.

He also claimed, in a since-deleted post, that the president appeared in files relating to the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But Musk later wrote: “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

In response, the president told the New York Post: “I thought it was very nice that he did that.”

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What’s in Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’?

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What's in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'?

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Martha Kelner and Mark Stone break down what’s in Donald Trump’s huge tax and spending bill. He’s trying to sign it into law by the end of the week.

They also discuss the State Department’s decision to revoke US visas for British band Bob Vylan after their Glastonbury performance.

If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

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