QUESTION: So you are talking about the immediate steps for the government in Ukraine. What exactly are you talking about? Is this just the matter of time for the expats to know the situation here? Or is it that you have something planned in mind, to help, to support? Is it just not involving in the political situation? Just economics or is it politics as well?
DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: We will provide strong support not only for the revival of the Ukrainian economy, but also support for the political process, which has to begin with the formation of a new multi-party technocratic government. That will help prepare the way for free and fair elections in May, which as you know better than I do, will be very important for the future of this country. We also have an interest in working with our international partners to support the efforts of the new government to try and improve the security situation in this country as well.
On the economic side, the reality is that the new government that will be formed will inherit an economic mess. It’s a reality that Ukraine has always had a great deal of economic potential, but it’s also a reality that its business climate has never matched that potential. That can change. It is possible to realize that potential. It is possible to fight corruption and all the other impediments to realizing that potential. We recognize that that effort will require and deserves support from the friends of Ukraine like the United States, like the European Union, like the IMF. And we’re working quite practically and quite intensively to be ready to provide that support.
The first step, again, is the formation of a new government and an opportunity to sit down with that new government and identify the plans of the new Ukrainian government, their diagnosis of the problem, and then identify specifically what we can do to help. And we’ll be ready to do that along with the EU and the IMF because we recognize the urgency of the situation, we recognize what’s at stake for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian people.
via Statement and Q&A at U.S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine.
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