Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at The White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday to meet United States (US) President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
It was the first face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and Biden since the latter took office in January. The Ukrainian leader is also expected to meet World Bank President David Malpass and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday evening.
Before the meeting, the US National Security Council informed the reporters at a press briefing that they “expect President Biden to convey his ironclad commitment to Ukraine’s security, sovereignty, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, discuss Ukraine’s ongoing reform programme, both in terms of progress that’s already been made and areas where continued progress is still needed.”
During the discussions, Zelensky raised several concerns ranging, from NATO membership to pandemic response, encompassing the areas of defence, energy, and the economy. As a result of the meeting, the two nations codified a Joint Strategic Partnership.
“Our shared values and commitment to a Europe that is whole, free, democratic, and at peace provide the basis for our strategic partnership. We are working together to address shared global challenges, including energy security and diversification, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic,” a joint statement read.
The first point highlighted in the joint statement mentioned ‘Standing up to Russian Aggression.’ “The United States does not and will never recognise Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea...together we call on Russia to recommit to the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and engage genuinely in conflict resolution efforts to end the war,” the statement read.
Ukraine currently remains in discord with Russia over various territorial and security issues. A Moscow Times article mentioned that Zelensky utilised his meeting with US top officials to gather further support against Russia. He also appealed for security assurances from Biden that would assist in Ukraine’s fight against Russian-backed separatists.
Biden confirmed the US’s “firm commitment” to its alliance with Ukraine and offered $60 million in new security aid. However, he carefully dismissed certain other demands by Zelensky, including concerns regarding the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and Ukraine’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
The controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline is an $11 billion gas pipeline built under the Baltic sea to carry gas from Russia to Germany, bypassing the previous route through Ukraine, which opposes it, citing a loss of transit fees and security threats. In his opening remarks, Zelensky enquired about the US stance on the issue. Biden argued that “the project had already been nearly finished by the time he got into office and could not be stopped.”
Regarding entry into NATO, Biden cited Ukraine’s rampant corruption and the need for further democratic development as reasons for the country’s non-involvement in the organisation. In June, Zelensky informed reporters that he seeks a clear-cut “yes” or “no” from Biden on the matter.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki underscored that “Ukraine needed to modernise its defence sector and advance rule-of-law reforms to meet NATO membership standards.” “We [US] also remain committed to assisting Ukraine with ongoing reforms,” she added.
Furthermore, the leaders discussed energy security and climate change extensively. “The United States and Ukraine are advancing Ukraine’s energy security through sustainable, effective, and long-lasting policy solutions backed up by ongoing corporate governance reform,” the leaders said in the joint statement.
They also announced the formation of a ‘Strategic Energy and Climate Dialogue’ to fulfil their purposes of removing systemic imbalances in the Ukrainian energy system, expanding corporate governance reform at state-owned energy companies, increasing the attractiveness of Ukraine’s energy industry. Ukraine also joined the Agricultural Innovation Mission (AIM) with the US to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, the United States provided about $55 million for COVID-19 assistance and donated around 2.2 million vaccines to Ukraine to fight against the pandemic.
The Ukrainian President and his American counterpart also discussed and signed several agreements on cybersecurity, space exploration, the promotion of human rights, and combating corruption.
Ukraine’s Zelensky meets Biden, Strives For Security Cooperation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held meetings with Biden and other top US officials at The White House on Wednesday. The meeting codified the two countries’ Joint Strategic Partnership.
September 2, 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden (R) meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., Sept. 1, 2021. SOURCE: REUTERS