U.S. State Department stated they see Ukraine 'aggressively fighting corruption'
Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller (photo: GettyImages)
The U.S. State Department has noted that in recent weeks, Ukraine has been taking "aggressive measures" to combat corruption, states the U.S. State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller.
He noted that members of the U.S. Congress and EU members will demand anti-corruption measures in Ukraine.
"I see this get portrayed as about – as something Ukraine needs to do to win support from Western allies and ultimately fulfill its European aspirations, to become a member of the EU, and certainly that is true," the Spokesperson said.
Miller emphasized that with Russia as a neighbor, Ukraine needs to build a strong economy.
"They are going to be a neighbor of Russia in perpetuity; they need to have the economy that can kind of – that can support a security apparatus that can deter future Russian aggression, and they can’t do that if there is widespread corruption at different – in different sectors of the economy," he underscored.
Miller also mentioned that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the fight against corruption with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Secret strategy" regarding Ukraine
Politico reported that officials in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden have prepared a confidential strategy regarding Ukraine. In particular, it states that the U.S. is much more concerned about corruption in Ukraine than is publicly voiced.
According to the publication, the "delicate but unclassified" version of the long-term U.S. plan outlines numerous steps that Washington is taking to help Kyiv eradicate graft and reform various sectors in Ukraine.
The strategy emphasizes that corruption could lead Western allies to withdraw support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion and that Kyiv cannot afford to delay efforts to combat corruption.
