Following are excerpts from statements by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during their joint press briefing in Kyiv on January 31. Source: U.S. Department of State.
President Zelenskyy (speaking through an interpreter):
… This is a hallmark visit that clearly demonstrates the consistent and across-the-board support of our country by the United States of America.
The United States have been and will remain our key ally in defending sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We dearly appreciate efforts of President Trump and his administration on this track. We are grateful for your personal, unflinching, and unwavering stance regarding the war in Donbas and the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Today, I expressed hope that the United States of America will be more actively engaged in the processes of peaceful settlement in the east of Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea, thanks to the appointment of a special official of the Department of State on this matter. We are grateful for the role of the United States of America for the result-oriented cooperation with NATO.
In particular, the relations between Kyiv and Washington are invariably strong because the groundwork for them is the full confidence, mutual understanding, and long-lasting strategic interest. It’s important that the systematic support of Ukraine enjoys bipartisan consensus in Congress of the United States. It is confirmed by the amount of program of aid for 2020 that amount to almost $700 million. I should separately note the assistance in security which make up $365 million U.S. dollars and will significantly boost our defense capabilities. We appreciate your support in reforming the armed forces of Ukraine, supplying of arms and equipment, training for the Ukrainian formations.
… Yesterday, on the 30th of January, one of the most outstanding American politicians was born, Franklin Roosevelt, and he said the only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts today. In the state of Ukraine, there is no doubt whatsoever regarding the strategic partnership with the United States of America. That’s why we are confident in the successful realization of all our common plans of Ukraine and the United States of America.
Secretary of State Pompeo:
…Of course, this isn’t my first time to Ukraine. I traveled here as a member of Congress back in spring of 2014, shortly after the Maidan Revolution. I returned again in May a year later as a member of Congress, and then I came here in previous role as well as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency to work on security matters. It’s wonderful to be back and to watch the progress that the brave and valiant people of Ukraine are making.
President Zelenskyy and I just had an excellent meeting, talked about a range of issues. The Ukrainian people should know the United States understands that Ukraine is an important country. It’s not just the geographic heart of Europe; it’s a bulwark between freedom and authoritarianism in Eastern Europe. Its fields help feed the European continent, and its pipelines keep Europe warm in the winter. And it’s a growing market for U.S. exports as well, and we’re happy about that.
The Ukrainian people want freedom. Nearly 14,000 Ukrainians have been killed and many more wounded defending their homeland in the ongoing conflict in the Donbas. It was my honor this morning to visit again St. Michael’s Memorial and pay my respects to those who have fallen.
Today, I am here with a clear message. The United States sees that the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, democracy, and prosperity is a valiant one. Our commitment to support it will not waver. As I told President Zelenskyy earlier today, the commitment starts with our strong support for his efforts to strengthen democratic institutions in this country. The final victory for the Revolution of Dignity is within reach. The United States has worked hard to help Ukraine develop a strong rule of law, a healthy investment climate, a reformed defense sector, and energy independence, and we’ll continue to do so.
The president and I also had the opportunity to discuss Ukraine’s relationship with Russia. The United States under President Trump has been the world’s fiercest defender of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have maintained support for Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO and move closer to the European Union. We have revived the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission. In July of 2018, we released the Crimea Declaration, which clearly stated that Crimea is part of Ukraine and the United States will never recognize Russia’s attempts to annex it.
Last March, along with our partners in Canada and the EU, we coordinated sanctions in response to the unprovoked Russian attack on the Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait. And this December, we advanced sanctions legislation directed at Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which, if construction, will give the Kremlin a free hand to destabilize Ukraine. And since January of 2017, we have provided more than $1 billion in security assistance.
This commitment continues. We’ll maintain support for a diplomatic solution to the Russia-instigated conflict in east Ukraine, and we’ll maintain financial support for Ukraine’s security. We will never accept anything less than the full restoration of Ukraine’s control over its sovereign territory. …