WASHINGTON, D.C. (NewsNation) — First lady Jill Biden took off Thursday night from Joint Base Andrews, headed for Eastern Europe in what will be an important symbolic gesture of friendship and support for the people of the region and of unity with Ukraine.

Today, her trip begins in Romania, where she’ll meet with U.S. and U.N. military leaders and help serve food to the troops stationed there.

Biden will also meet with Romania’s first lady, Carmen Iohannis, who is also an English teacher to continued teaching after her husband took office. Over the weekend, Biden will visit a school in Bucharest that’s taken in Ukrainian refugee students.

On Mother’s Day, she’ll travel to Slovakia to meet with Ukrainian refugee mothers and children. The White House says she’ll be meeting with aid workers, NGO volunteers and humanitarian staff who’ve been taking care of the refugees as well.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, “The president is grateful for her willingness to do this and for the important role she’ll play in representing the United States during her visit to Europe and through these meetings.”

Biden wraps up her trip Monday after a visit to the Slovakian Presidential Palace.