KYIV, Ukraine — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Friday after a gathering with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine that the Trump admin
KYIV, Ukraine — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Friday after a gathering with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine that the Trump administration was dedicated to supporting Ukraine in its protection towards aggression by Russia, which invaded and annexed a part of the nation and is supporting a separatist insurgency.
“Immediately I’m right here with a transparent message: The US sees that the Ukrainian battle for freedom, democracy and prosperity is a valiant one,” Mr. Pompeo mentioned at a information convention with Mr. Zelensky. “Our dedication to help it won’t waver.”
The 2 met earlier than midday within the president’s workplace in central Kyiv, and Mr. Zelensky mentioned that they had talked about new steps to strengthen the partnership between the 2 nations.
“I don’t suppose these pleasant and heat relations have been influenced by the impeachment trial of the president,” he mentioned when requested about whether or not the impeachment of President Trump had affected ties between Kyiv and Washington.
Mr. Pompeo was the primary official from President Trump’s cupboard to satisfy with Mr. Zelensky because the impeachment inquiry targeted on Mr. Trump and Ukraine started final fall. Mr. Trump had a brief meeting with Mr. Zelensky on Sept. 25 on the sidelines of the United Nations Common Meeting in New York — the day after the Democrats within the Home of Representatives announced their opening of the inquiry.
The transfer by the Democrats was prompted by a proper criticism filed by a C.I.A. whistle-blower who had mentioned that Mr. Trump had pressed Mr. Zelensky in a July 25 call for political favors on the similar time he was withholding from Ukraine $391 million of army help mandated by Congress.
The impeachment trial within the Senate started this month however appeared as of early Friday to be transferring to a swift shut.
The army help from Washington, which was launched by the White Home on Sept. 11, after Mr. Trump had heard concerning the formal whistleblower criticism, is geared toward serving to Ukrainian troopers combat a years-long Russian-backed insurgency in jap Ukraine. Lots of of Russian troopers are within the area, the Donbas, American officers say.
Ukraine and different European nations need the Trump administration to become involved in speaking with leaders in Kyiv and Moscow to assist settle the battle.
On Friday morning, as snow fell flippantly in Kyiv, Mr. Pompeo met with Vadym Prystaiko, overseas minister of Ukraine, and went to the golden-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral downtown to attend a wreath-laying ceremony for the troopers who’ve died preventing within the Donbas.
Greater than 13,000 Ukrainian troopers and civilians have been killed because the conflict started in 2014, the identical yr Russia invaded and occupied the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea. The battle has change into grinding trench warfare in open fields with common shelling.
Analysts say Mr. Trump’s actions on Ukraine — which critics say centered on gaining political benefit for his re-election marketing campaign this yr — and his open admiration of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia have weakened many years of American help for Ukraine.
Mr. Trump and his aides deny that he withheld the help for political causes, and say that they have been requesting that Ukraine conduct official investigations into corruption.
Mr. Pompeo mentioned on Friday, “The US beneath President Trump has been the world’s fiercest defender of Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
Ukrainian officers are desirous to have Mr. Zelensky go to Mr. Trump within the Oval Workplace and to have the American president publicly and strongly affirm help for Ukraine. Ukrainian officers are offended that the People have granted the Russian overseas minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, two visits with Mr. Trump in White House, most not too long ago in December.
In response to a query on Friday, Mr. Pompeo mentioned a White Home go to by Mr. Zelensky was not depending on the type of investigation Mr. Trump had sought.
The Ukraine journey is a fraught one for Mr. Pompeo, who arrived right here on Thursday evening after a cease in London, and plans to journey to a few extra nations that grew to become impartial from Moscow afterwards.
Mr. Pompeo has been dogged by sharp questions over his function within the Ukraine affair and, extra not too long ago, an acid remark he reportedly made about Ukraine in a Jan. 24 conversation with a National Public Radio reporter. The reporter, Mary Louise Kelly, a veteran nationwide safety correspondent, mentioned that after she requested about Ukraine, Mr. Pompeo shouted at her in a rant full of obscenities and requested her to find Ukraine on an unmarked map that his aides pulled out. She added that, utilizing the “f-word,” he requested, “Do you suppose People care about Ukraine?”
Mr. Pompeo put out a unprecedented assertion the subsequent day that denounced the information media as “unhinged” and banned NPR from becoming a member of the pool of reporters on his present journey. His actions have been extensively criticized by press freedom advocates and overseas coverage specialists.
Mr. Pompeo enabled Mr. Trump’s actions on Ukraine…