On Thursday, May 5th, First Lady of the United States Jill Biden traveled to Romania and Slovakia. She planned on meeting with Ukrainian families displaced under the Russian government. Her intense four-day visit included Mothers Day activities which incorporate visiting a refugee center and two schools.

“I hope in Jill Biden’s visit she is able to help or donate something to the families there. I know there isn’t much that Americans can do, but it’s important political figures are getting involved with places like Ukraine,” said Bhavya Yanamandra (‘23).

First Lady Jill Biden first arrived at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania to check up and reiterate its support for Nato Allies. This has been Jill Biden’s highest profile diplomatic engagement since her husband became president.

“I hope that countries neighboring Ukraine aren’t going to be invaded by Russia. It’s already so horrible that many Ukrainian people have to be refugees in other places, and if Russia continues to invade other countries, more people are going to get hurt, and it would be a catastrophe for the world,” said Jia Varshney (‘24).

Jill Biden traveled to Slovakia to meet with Ukrainian refugees and give support to those who are helping refugees. On Sunday, Biden traveled in secret to Uzhhorod in Western Ukraine, a country which has fallen under Russia’s rule for the past 10 weeks. In Uzhhorod, Olena Zelenzka (first lady of Ukraine) and Jill spoke in front of a classroom with reporters.

“I wanted to come on Mother’s Day.We thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people this war has to stop. And this war has been brutal. The people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine,” said Jill Biden.

Jill Biden also traveled to the Slovakia-Ukraine border crossing in Vysne Nemecke. She toured refugee centers and me with aid workers and refugees. She also visited a Greek Catholic Chapel to volunteer and serve refugees. Joe Biden has officially called the war between Russia and Ukraine a genocide and plans on adopting refugees which require and extensive process.

“I’m happy to see that our government is able to see the atrocities that Russia has been doing against Ukraine. Right now, in my opinion, the US can’t do much, and the fact that Jill Biden is going on this trip really is a big deal. This isn’t just a war between Russia and Ukraine, it involves all of us, and we need to step in and help those in need,” said Ananya Niranjan (‘25).