Biden meets Poroshenko in Kyiv, reassures support
“There’s a growing degree of popular frustration about the slow pace of the reforms and the efforts to root out corruption”, Biden warned.
Biden arrived in Kyiv early Monday local time, and is set to meet with President Petro Poroshenko later in the day, before a highly anticipated address to the Ukraine parliament Tuesday.
In mid-November President Putin said that Russian Federation had offered Ukraine to repay its $3 bln debt by $1 bln annual installments in 2016-2018.
Ukraine says it has restored part of the electricity supply to Crimea, more than two weeks after power lines to the territory were blown up. First of all, Ukrainian power must eradicate corruption, which is impeding the country’s progress. Not surprisingly, such an important visit will take place before Ukraine’s annual governmental report on its government’s activity results, as well as its plans for the next year.
“The adoption of even the most effective and highest-profile selections that “go well with Biden” exclusively underscores the absence of a coherent technique for reforming our nation”, Ukrainian political commentator Yevgen Magda stated. Specifically its owner Mykola Zlochevsky, who is known to be linked to disgraced former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Special attention will be paid to the judicial sector. So, let us hope that Biden’s speech in the parliament will be the key and final similar appeal from foreign partners, and Ukraine will demonstrate it is capable of responsible reforms.
Speaking at the Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday, Biden said it was imperative that Kyiv makes its governance more transparent, adding that “corruption eats Ukraine like cancer“.
The American leader stressed during his remarks that Ukraine must continue to fight corruption with civil society playing a key role. Previous year in Ukraine inflation, unemployment, prices, rates and the level of corruption have only increased.
In addition, Washington believes that Ukraine needs reforms in security and defense, in order that it withstand “pressure from Moscow” and “Russian aggression”.
The Ukrainian nationalist group Right Sector, which also had blocked fix crews from the site, said it did not approve of the decision to restore power. But Ukraine has included it among the sovereign and sovereign-guaranteed bonds to be restructured in a deal with a group of its largest creditors.
But Biden’s meeting with Poroshenko may be a bit awkward, given that the United States backs Ukraine on the presumption that it wants to have a Western-style democratic system with checks and balances – not a Russian-style autocracy where anyone who is friends with top officials gets a free pass.
Both the U.S. and European Union have slapped stiff financial sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s internal circle and have helped practice and equip Ukraine’s dilapidated and underfunded military with defensive gear corresponding to superior radar.