Biden meets Poroshenko in Kyiv, reassures support
“Despite some de-escalation in violence, there can be no sanctions relief unless and until Russian Federation meets all of its commitments under the (February) Minsk agreements”.
Biden’s visit is his fourth to Kyiv since Russia’s troops overran Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in March 2014 and then watched with approval as pro-Kremlin insurgents carved out their own region in the eastern industrial heartland of the ex-Soviet state.
Biden said on Tuesday that Ukraine should do more to fight corruption or it will lose worldwide support.
“The fact that we are not talking as much every single day about Crimea does not mean in any way we have forgotten that the illegal invasion, and it’s an invasion, by Russian Federation of Crimea will not be accepted by us or the global community”, Biden added.
Moreover, the measures also included an additional support of 10 million euros funded by the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, which will be allocated for the “restoration of governance, reconciliation and peace-building in the eastern part of Ukraine, most affected by war and displacement”.
In his address, Biden also urged Ukrainian lawmakers to put aside their self-interests and work to transform their country into a model of democratic change.
The tough message flew in the face of the Kremlin’s assertion that it is Ukraine’s pro-Western leadership that keeps flouting the accord aimed at ending 19 months of fighting with pro-Russian rebels that has claimed more than 8,000 lives.
“We can’t say there is a de-escalation of the conflict in Donbas”.
“He also met on December 7 with some individual members of parliament and from civic society, as well as with Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko”. Let me be crystal clear – the United States does not, will not, never will recognise Russia’s attempt to annex the Crimea.
The protests were fueled by anger over rampant corruption and Yanukovych’s abandonment of negotiations toward an Association Agreement with the European Union amid Russian pressure. “Today, we’ve had another 14 mortar attacks, eight Ukrainian soldiers have been wounded in the last 24 hours”, said Petro Poroshenko, Ukrainian President.