Biden shuts down suggestions he is sending U.S. troops to Ukraine

President Joe Biden on Monday shot down a report he was considering sending U.S. troops to the Ukraine and said he was sending 'billions' in materials to the embattled nation.

'No we're sending materials like we have - billions of dollars,' Biden told DailyMail.com at an event for Toys for Tots that he was attending with first lady Jill Biden.

NBC News reported the administration was discussing whether to send a small number of U.S. troops to the Ukraine. It reported some U.S. boots are on the ground in two locations outside Kyiv to check on the use of U.S. supplies The Pentagon wants to send more.

Biden dismissed that. His focus on Monday was the charity event, which brings in millions of donations in toys for less fortunate children during the holiday season.

The President got into the holiday spirit, hopping on a bicycle as he came into the gym at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginiay, where piles of toys were waiting.

He helped the kids sort donations into various boxes. 

During the event, Jill Biden apologized for having laryngitis and brought one of the kids up to read an excerpt from The Grinich Who Stole Christmas in her place. The first lady sounded hoarse and cleared her throat several times as she spoke about how seeing the children help out makes 'my heart grow three sizes as well.'

President Joe Biden got into holiday spirit at the Toys for Tots event, hopping on a bicycle as he came inside

Jill Biden apologized for having laryngitis and brought one of the kids up to read an excerpt from The Grinich Who Stole Christmas in her place

President Joe Biden is escorted by military child Samara Donahue to a boxes of toys as he and first lady Jill Biden participate in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots event

President Joe Biden greets one of the children at the event

Ahead of the charity drive, Biden participated in a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of the G7 about Russia's invasion.

In the 10 months since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the U.S. has passed three separate packages equating $67.3 billion in military, humanitarian and government aid. 

Biden has proposed a fourth wave of financial assistance as part of next year's funding package, which would include another $37.7 billion and, if passed, it would bring the total assistance to a whopping $105.5 billion in less than one year. 

His focus in the afternoon, however, was on the Toys for Tots event.

He chuckled as he mounted the bike, which comes after he fell off his bicycle in June when he was at his beach home in Rehoboth. The president was unhurt, however. And he got back in the seat in August when he was on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, going for a beach ride.

'Jill and I know how much you sacrifice,' Biden said to the gathered marines and the children. 'When our son Beau was deployed to Iraq, it was hard to look at the empty chair at our table every night during the holidays. And it was hard for our granddaughters when their dad wasn't there on Christmas morning.'

'You have to be brave, even when your mommies and daddies are far away. They're so proud of you,' Biden said to the kids.

The atmosphere was festive with a Marine band playing holiday carols and the children dressed in bright holiday colors. 

The Bidens handed out boxes of presidential M&Ms with Joe Biden's signature on them to the children.

The first couple and about 40 kids helped sort toys into boxes for distribution. 

Biden carried a few boxes to the the barrels for sorting but he spent most of his time speaking with the children and various Marines. 

Children had him and the first lady surrounded during the visit. Afterward the first couple posed for photos. 

President Joe Biden listens as first lady Jill Biden speaks to the kids at the event at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia

President Joe Biden helps with a bike during the toy sorting drive

Biden helped the kids sort the toys into boxes

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden took a photo with the participants at the end of the toy sorting

President Joe Biden at the Toys for Tots event, where he shot down a report he was considering sending U.S. troops to Ukraine

Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.

Jill Biden participated in the toy drive last year also, during her first year in the White House. 

The Toys for Tots program has a long association with first ladies.

Previous first ladies have promoted the program - going back to Laura Bush and including Melania Trump and Michelle Obama. 

Trump supported the program, visiting it each holiday season, for the four years she was first lady and Obama did the same for the eight years she was.  

Currently Toys for Tots, distributes an average of 18 million toys to 7 million less fortunate children annually.