“Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House has shown that the United States wants to deepen relations with Ukraine, and is a good signal for other countries in the region,” said Jonathan Katz, a former diplomat and expert at the Marshall Foundation’s German think tank.
On Wednesday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky achieved what he had been striving for since the very beginning of his presidency – meetings with public assurances of support for Russia’s aggression and Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO. But in addition to what Zelensky said, he also received a wide range of deals, from additional aid and military cooperation to trade and energy.
According to Jonathan Katz, a former diplomat and deputy head of USAID, this means that Ukraine, despite its disappointment with the US attitude to Nord Stream 2, has made good use of its diplomatic capabilities.
In my visit with President Zelenskyy today, I reaffirmed the United States’ support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression, our close cooperation on energy security, and our shared democratic values. pic.twitter.com/BJaxoJrXFh
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 1, 2021
– All these agreements show well that there is a strategic intensification of relations between the United States and Ukraine, in which both sides are interested. This is not only energy and security, but also many other issues, including deeper economic commitments, – says the expert. “There are other areas of cooperation, from space to a pandemic, and further high-level meetings are planned, which will be the result of this visit and will bear fruit in the future,” he added.
Opportunity for other countries in the region
Katz emphasizes that Washington also praised Zelensky’s statements on a particularly important issue for President Biden, namely democratic reforms and the fight against corruption. The statement, signed by both leaders, included, among other things, the Judicial Reform Announcement. The document also contains provisions – probably for the first time – on combating discrimination, including against sexual minorities.
The priority at the meeting with @JoeBiden is security issues. In particular, security in #Donbas, in the occupied Crimea, in the Black Sea-Azov region & energy security in 🇺🇦 & 🇪🇺. We handed over a list of almost 450 detained Ukrainians to @POTUS to demand their release jointly. pic.twitter.com/aErH0L1HJm
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 1, 2021
– This is a good step before the Summit for Democracy scheduled for December this year, – said the analyst.
According to Katz, Zelensky’s visit shows that the Biden administration is interested in more active participation and closer relations with Central and Eastern Europe. However, according to him, both sides should take the initiative in this direction.
“This meeting is a positive signal for other European countries that want to deepen cooperation with the United States,” he said.