Steven Pifer is sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine (01/18/98)

Steven Pifer is sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine

by Michael Sawkiw Jr.
Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON - Steven Pifer was sworn in as the third U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on January 5, in a simple yet elegant ceremony at the U.S. Department of State.

His predecessors were Ambassadors Roman Popadiuk (a Ukrainian American) and William Green Miller, who left his post in Kyiv on January 7.

With his wife by his side and relatives close by, Mr. Pifer stood on a dais in the Benjamin Franklin Room and repeated the ambassadorial oath, administered by Chief of Protocol Mary Mel French. The popping of a champagne cork added to the celebration of the moment.

Following the oath, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott offered his remarks about the post entrusted to the new ambassador. Speaking as a longtime colleague, Deputy Secretary Talbott mentioned the crucial period that Ambassador Pifer will be witnessing as he assumes his responsibilities in Ukraine.

Deputy Secretary Talbott accentuated the many positive attributes associated with enhanced U.S.-Ukrainian bilateral relations. Progress within the sphere of "science, technology and the environment," as part of the U.S.-Ukraine Binational Commission (the Gore-Kuchma Commission) was fairly significant in the past year, Mr. Talbott noted.

The deputy secretary also indicated that "the U.S. will do everything it can to help Ukraine during this period ahead" in its transition from a command economy to a free market, via international financial organizations (the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc.), as well as U.S. assistance programs.

Ambassador Pifer began his remarks by thanking his family and everyone involved with his nomination, and underlining that there is "no higher honor" that he could receive. Almost 20 years ago to the day, Mr. Pifer had been sworn-in as a foreign service officer (FSO) of the U.S. Department of State. He asked, "Who then would have imagined the reality of an independent Ukraine or a relationship between Ukraine and the United States that would be characterized as a strategic partnership?"

Flanked by his wife, Marilyn, a molecular biologist, and acknowledging his 6-year-old daughter, Christine (who wants to invite her friends to Ukraine for the weekend), Ambassador Pifer said he is proud to represent a country that he called "Ukraine's partner."

Then, addressing Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Dr. Yuri Shcherbak, Ambassador Pifer asked the envoy to inform the Ukrainian government about his intended arrival in Kyiv on January 8.

The new ambassador spoke about his goals while in Ukraine and noted that he wishes "to see Ukraine succeed and realize its full potential as a democratic, market economy - which is in the interests of Ukraine and of the United States and Europe."

In his former capacity at the National Security Council, Ambassador Pifer was well acquainted with areas of bilateral relations; he said he now sees his greatest challenge as "ensuring that Washington has a full understanding of the complexities Ukraine faces."

With a round of applause from the assembled audience, foreign diplomats and guests began to line up to congratulate the newly sworn-in ambassador and wish him success in his endeavors in Ukraine.

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