“…the United States, in a bipartisan fashion, for 25 years has worked for a Europe whole, free and at peace. Today, the number-one battleground for that aspiration is in Ukraine. And the way Ukraine goes will impact not only the neighborhood and the space between Ukraine and the European Union and NATO space, but I think will also have an impact on the kind of future that the people of Russia can have.
“So it is profoundly in the United States’ interest that Ukraine succeed in its aspiration to be democratic, to be more prosperous, to be unified, to be more European, to integrate with our economies, and to beat the cancer of corruption that has plagued it for so long.
“And that is why we are putting so much effort into it. It is why we are working so intensively with our European partners and allies, particularly with the EU on increased economic support for Ukraine now, and it’s why we welcome the decision of the Congress in a bipartisan fashion to signal its support as well.
“… I think the Ukraine Freedom Support Act is emblematic of the strong bipartisan, bicameral support for Ukraine and its aspirations that you see across the United States. And I know from talking to Ukrainians that that has been very important to them politically. It’s been important to them as they seek to build their reform agenda and to know that they have the support not just of the administration, but of the American people and their representatives. We’ve had a spectacular number of congressional delegations out to Ukraine, not just during the Maidan period but since, demonstrating support. And, you know, when you’re trying to do difficult new things, to have that national support is very, very important.
“The bill gives us – gives the administration – authorization for a broad set of tools but it also allows considerable flexibility to use those tools in a manner that is flexible as we see how the situation develops. …”
– Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State, speaking at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington on December 17, 2014.