Blinken Reaffirms U.S. Commitment to Ukraine on Kyiv Visit
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to assure Ukrainian officials of the Biden administration’s support for the country’s territorial integrity and efforts to foster a stronger democracy during a visit to Kyiv on Thursday.
“I’m here really for a very simple reason, which is to on behalf of President Biden reaffirm strongly our commitment to the partnership between our countries,” Blinken said at the start of a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. “It was important as early as possible to say so in person.”
Blinken’s trip to Ukraine is a significant show of support given the top U.S. diplomat’s limited travel schedule since taking office. It’s the only stop Blinken has outside the U.K. this week, after traveling to London for a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting.
Kuleba called the U.S. “Ukraine’s ally number one in security and defense.”
“We are a big democracy in this part of the world, and we are eager to work with you,” he said. “We value democratic values, human rights here in this region where they often face challenge.”
The meeting in Kyiv comes at a delicate moment in U.S.-Ukraine relations. The move by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s government late last month to fire the board of the country’s main oil and gas company, Naftogaz Ukrainy, sparked fresh concerns about Ukraine’s corporate governance, the state’s role in the economy, and its commitment to overhauling key industries.
Blinken also is meeting Thursday with Zelenskiy before returning to Washington.
But concern about Ukraine’s domestic politics will likely take a back seat to U.S. interests in showing solidarity with an ally long under siege by Russia. Fears of war were renewed last month as President Vladimir Putin massed tens of thousands of troops along the Ukraine border, seven years after he annexed Crimea. Tensions have since dialed back, following President Joe Biden’s call for a summit between the U.S. and Russian leader.
Blinken’s visit was also heavy with symbolism. Joining him in Kyiv was his new undersecretary for political affairs, Victoria Nuland, who, as the top State Department official for Europe during the Obama administration, drew Russian ire for passing out cookies to crowds of protesters during the demonstrations that went on to ous former President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
Meeting Blinken on Thursday morning, Kuleba congratulated Nuland on her recent confirmation and said of the protests, “the only big moment I missed was your cookies.”
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