Ambassador Kurt Volker addressed the Kyiv Security Forum: Ukrainians are building strong and unifying national identity. The United States supports Ukraine on this path

"No state in Europe faces the security threats that Ukraine faces every day during the last five years. Ukrainians responded to these challenges by building a strong and unifying national identity. Such an identity is aimed at new reforms and final integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures," the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiation, Ambassador Kurt Volker stressed in address to the 12th Kyiv Security Forum on April 11.

Mr. Kurt Volker emphasized that the Kyiv Security Forum is "one of the most important gatherings in Ukraine": "Your Forum focuses on very important issues."

"No state in Europe faces such security threats that Ukraine faces every day during the last five years. These last five years were extremely tough for Ukraine. This is not just about Russia had illegally annexed the Crimea, not only about the war in the Donbas, but also about political and economic challenges. It's a very difficult times," U.S. Special Representative underlined.

"But what inspires is how Ukrainians responded to these challenges, building up a strong and unifying national identity. Such an identity is aimed at new reforms and final integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures," Mr. Kurt Volker stressed. 

The United States firmly supports Ukraine on this path, he stated.

Mr. Volker has congratulated the Ukrainian people on the successful holding of the first round of the presidential elections: "We wish you success in holding the second round of the presidential and parliamentary elections in the fall."

"Traditionally, the United States does not express support for any of the candidates in any elections, but we advocate for observance of the principles. We strongly support Ukraine in developing the foundations of democracy, in economic reforms, in fight against corruption and in building a strong sovereign and secure state, which provides protection for the Ukrainian people," he emphasized.

"In our clear conviction, the Minsk Agreements must be fully implemented. So far, Russia has not expressed a desire to do this. But we are still ready to participate, in order to do our utmost to facilitate negotiations, the introduction of peacekeepers to help the people of Eastern Ukraine return to peaceful life. The humanitarian wild days that they are experienced is a fate worse than death in the present-day Europe. And that is our responsibility - not to leave them aside. We definitely wish them good."

The United States firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, he underlined, recalling the statement of the Secretary of State Pompeo as of July 25, 2018, "in which clearly was stated that the United States does not recognize and does not reconcile with the illegal annexation by Russia": "Equally, we do not recognize the legitimacy of two entities in the east of Ukraine, so-called "Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" created and controlled by Russia".

FOR REFERENCE:

The annual international event Kyiv Security Forum was launched by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007. Since then, the Forum has become a platform for high-level international discussions on current issues of national security, security issues of the Black Sea region, Europe and the world.