“Every US administration — of George Bush the elder, Bill Clinton, and current President George Bush the younger — did and does recognize the crucial importance of Ukrainian independence and sovereignty,” said William Taylor, coordinator of aid to the newly independent states, at a July 12 press conference. However, already visible are some signs of the change of accents in Washington’s foreign policy, in particular, toward Ukraine.
Mr. Taylor confessed that the bill in Congress that appropriates aid to Ukraine for next year provides for a drastically reduced amount of money. The drafters of this bill explain their decision by their concern about the pace of Ukrainian reforms and the way the murders of journalists are being investigated. Meanwhile, the downward aid tendency was discernible even last year when Ukraine ceased to be one of the top three recipients of US aid. Its third place, after Israel and Egypt, was taken over by Russia. When American Congressmen visited Kyiv this year, they also threatened to cut aid. Mr. Taylor assured journalists at the same time that “the level of aid will remain intact.”
What is apparently going to continue to play the decisive role in US interest in Ukraine is our state’s geographical position, which the distinguished American guest noted unequivocally. Yet, speaking to Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ivan Pliushch shortly before, Mr. Taylor said the US regards Ukraine “not as buffer but as part of Europe.” To corroborate this, US Ambassador Carlos Pascual reminded journalists of the leading status of American investors in the Ukrainian economy. Asked by the audience to comment on the latest statement of Russian Ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin, when the latter expressed concern that Kyiv’s neutral policies might undermine Ukraine’s national interests, Mr. Taylor in fact declined to give a direct answer. He dwelt again on Washington’s support for the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and on its “full support of Kyiv’s intention to integrate into the European Union.” The US State Department representative paid considerable attention to the problems of the freedom of expression and supremacy of law in Ukraine. The Americans again confirmed their intentions to back the independent mass media in Ukraine. This support is especially important, in their opinion, before the next parliamentary elections. Asked about the sources of information for the US government, Mr. Taylor said information supplied by the US Embassy in Kyiv and the Ukrainian and foreign media is quite enough for Washington.
