Pompeo In Kyiv To Show 'Unwavering Support'
By RFE/RL
KYIV -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other top Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on January 31, as Washington looks to show its support for Ukraine, which is battling Russia-backed forces in a deadly war in its easternmost regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
"Good to be in Kyiv today. U.S. support for Ukraine is unwavering, and I'm intent on underscoring this as I meet with Ukrainian government leaders to discuss ways we can advance our strategic partnership and reinforce Ukraine's position as a free and democratic state," Pompeo tweeted late on January 30.
The visit comes amid the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, who has been accused by Democrats of abusing his power of office by pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rival by withholding congressionally approved military aid and a highly desired invitation to the White House for Zelenskiy.
It also comes days after Pompeo reportedly asked an NPR journalist in anger, “Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?”
Ukraine relies heavily on U.S. military and political support, along with aid provided by European countries.
In Kyiv, Pompeo is also scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Vadym Prystayko and Defense Minister Andriy Zahorodnyuk, and attend a ceremony honoring those who have died in the nearly six-year war in eastern Ukraine against the separatists.
More than 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict since April 2014. Russia also seized and annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 in a move not recognized by the international community.
The top U.S. diplomat will “underscore the United States’ strong support” in Ukraine's effort to counter Russian “aggression” and to eliminate corruption, the State Department has said.
“Crimea is part of Ukraine and we will never recognize Russia’s attempt to annex it,” a statement said.
It noted that “in 2018, the Trump administration relaunched the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission to deepen our bilateral cooperation and advance our shared interests in countering Russian aggression, as well as promoting rule of law, economic development, and energy security in Ukraine."
The statement said two-way trade between the United States and Ukraine reached nearly $4 billion in 2018, with particularly high volumes in mineral fuels, vehicles, iron and steel, and agricultural products.
“The United States supports Ukraine’s energy independence from Russian domination,” it added.
The statement also said Washington backs Ukraine “as it counters Russian aggression and disinformation, and advances reform efforts to stamp out corruption.”
Pompeo, who began his regional tour in London, will also travel to Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
We are now closing the live blog for today, but we'll be back again to tomorrow morning to follow all the latest developments. Until then, you can keep up with all our ongoing Ukraine coverage (including the latest updates on Mike Pompeo's Kyiv visit) here.
So, it seems that Pompeo has arrived on his much anticipated visit to Ukraine.
You can read more on the U.S. Secretary of State's trip to Kyiv here:
A Twitter thread from an investigative reporter who writes for Bellingcat: