During the first telephone conversation between the presidents of the United States and Ukraine, Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky, the latter received a “reprimand” for the lack of reforms in the country. This opinion was shared by the Ukrainian political scientist Mikhail Pogrebinsky on the air of the First Independent TV channel.
According to him, a “catastrophic” situation with the coronavirus has developed in Ukraine, and Zelensky, according to the expert, is doing nothing to fix it.
“You were there long and tediously waiting for Biden to call you – and what happened? Yes, you kind of got a reprimand on the part of the fact that you need to carry out those reforms that you really do not want, “- said Pogrebinsky.
He also said that the Ukrainian authorities should prioritize and focus on resolving the conflict in the east of the country and problems with vaccinations.
On April 2, Biden, during a conversation with Zelenskiy, reiterated his support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of “ongoing Russian aggression.” Zelenskiy, in turn, assured the American leader of his readiness to reform Ukraine, clarifying that a partnership with the United States is critical for Kiev.
On the same day, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced the negotiations between the head of the department Andriy Taran and the head of the Pentagon Lloyd Austin. It was noted that Washington is ready to support Kiev in the event of a military conflict with Russia.
Following the talks, Austin issued a statement stating that the United States has allocated more than $ 2 billion to Ukraine since 2014 in security assistance. The American side announced that it is going to further build up the potential of the Ukrainian armed forces.
At the end of March, the White House announced the intention of the United States to “revitalize” the strategic partnership with Ukraine to support Zelenskiy. The statement was released after the talks between the US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and the chief of staff of the Ukrainian leader Andriy Yermak.