U.S. Vice President Biden to visit Ukraine on January 15

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the First Ministers’ meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

KIEV (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will fly to Kiev on Sunday on a farewell visit by one of Ukraine's strongest political supporters, as the country looks forward with apprehension to the new administration of Donald Trump.

Biden, whose visit was announced by the office of President Petro Poroshenko, has been the front man for U.S. policy towards Ukraine since street protests in 2013-2014 forced a Russian-backed leader to flee and the pro-Western opposition took over, promising sweeping reforms whose delivery has been patchy.