The US regards the RF’s demands on federalization of Ukraine as unacceptable

‘It is the Ukrainians, not outside forces, who should decide on how your country is going to look like in the future. Russia’s making demands on federalization, which would lead Ukraine to great risks of country breakup, is absolutely unacceptable’, Nuland stated.

‘No doubt, there should be a discourse in Ukraine itself concerning decentralization and delegation of powers to local authorities, which would establish a new dialog among the country’s regions’, the Department of State official pointed out, adding that one from outside can only give advice. In her opinion, the RF should promote disarmament of unlawful groups rather than call for disruption of the country.

As Nuland emphasized, at the quadrilateral talks on the Ukrainian situation next week the US is ready to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and right to make its own choice. ‘We are ready to push Russia to demonstrate, both in word and deed, that it is a good neighbor’, she said. Estimating stands of the parties on the meeting’s eve, the Department of State representative said that they are now ‘very distant from each other’, yet the dialog should be continued.

In addition, Nuland welcomed the steps taken by the new Ukrainian leaders towards modernization of the country. In particular, she spoke favorably of the adoption of the new Law on Public Procurement by the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday. ‘This is a kind of law that will show the wide Ukrainian public and the entire world that corruption and the corrupt government’s days became a thing of the past, which is exactly what people on Maidan wanted. The government will be working transparently, without stealing from people. That’s a courageous step by the Ukrainian government, the Rada, and the civil society’, the Assistant Secretary emphasized.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Kyiv Security Forum agenda is designed for 2 days and offers six panels open to the media representatives. The agenda can be amended, with amendments posted on the Forum’s website.

A separate area (Press Center) will be organized for the press, with equipped workplaces and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as live broadcast of all the Forum panels. In addition, a specially equipped area in the session hall will be reserved for journalists.

The organizers are ready to help arrange individual interviews with and comments from the Forum speakers on advance notice.

The Kyiv Security Forum annual international event, initiated by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007, is a platform for debates on the most pressing security issues in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum’s mission is to increase security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea region, raise awareness about security development among key players, and promote the role of independent and non-governmental actors in setting the security agenda in Europe.

The event is supported by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine, and the Chatham House Royal Institute of International Relations (UK).

For information on the project visit http://ksf.openukraine.org/

The Open Ukraine Foundation is an international charitable foundation established at the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk for strengthening public diplomacy and developing Ukraine’s reputation in the world. The Foundation achieves its goal by implementing the key programs: International Dialogue, Cultural Horizons, and Young Leaders. The Foundation is an organization of a broad circle of charity providers and unites around itself any people who care for Ukraine’s reputation and future.

For more details about the Foundation visit http://openukraine.org.