The following open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden was released on March 22 by the steering committee of Ukrainian Americans for Biden. The letter was signed by Christine Balko Slywotzky, Orest Deychakiwsky, Marta Farion, Andrew Fedynsky, Irene Jarosewich, Khristina Lew, Ulana Mazurkevich, Adrian Slywotzky, Mark N.V. Temnycky, Halyna Traversa and Tania Vitvitsky.
A copy of the letter was also sent to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, as well as Brian Fitzpatrick, Andy Harris and Marcy Kaptur, co-chairs, Congressional Ukraine Caucus; Dick Durbin and Robert Portman, co-chairs, Senate Ukraine Caucus; and Oksana Markarova, ambassador of Ukraine to the United States.
Ukrainian Americans for Biden (UAB) is a network of voters established in June 2020 under the Democratic National Committee’s National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Council. We are proud to have been a part of the effort that led to your and Vice President Kamala Harris’ victory during the 2020 presidential election.
Following the November election, UAB submitted policy recommendations on U.S.-Ukraine relations to the Biden-Harris Administration. A key recommendation was that the United States press firmly to end the construction of Nord Stream 2 (NS2). We appreciate that as early as 2016 you stated that NS2 was “a bad deal” for Europe. No doubt, the administration is aware of the numerous European allies, other foreign partners and international organizations that agree with this assessment.
UAB emphasizes that the key issue regarding NS2 completion is not European energy security. NS2 is not necessary for European energy sufficiency. Nord Stream 1 is not even at full capacity; existing delivery systems work. Nor is the key issue a market for imports of liquefied natural gas from America. Nor is the key issue that NS2 is on track to be a revenue generator for a very select group of Russian, German and Austrian investors.
Rather, the primary purpose of Russia’s push to complete NS2 is the Kremlin’s consistent policy to use all available methods to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, diminish the authority of Ukraine, Poland and other Central and East European countries, as well as diminish possibilities of closer relations between Ukraine and the European Union. The United States and its allies must continue to pressure Russia to limit aggressive behavior.
Further, we strongly urge the Biden-Harris Administration to fully implement Congressional NS2 sanctions and support additional measures, as considered necessary. Although 90 percent complete, the pipeline does not need to be finished.
This year, Ukraine celebrates 30 years of independence. We welcome your long-standing, staunch support of Ukraine, and hope that Ukraine continues to have the opportunity to develop further as a stable democracy and reliable partner for the United States.