A leaked US government strategy shows the Biden administration is far more concerned about corruption in Ukraine than it’s publicly letting on, POLITICO reported on Monday.
The State Department quietly released a 22-page public version of an Integrated Country Strategy for Ukraine that makes clear corruption is a major concern for the US. The strategy outlines long-term goals for US policy in Ukraine with an emphasis on rooting out corruption. “Ukraine must slay the corruption dragon once and for all,” the public document reads.
According to POLITICO, the confidential version of the strategy is three times as long and uses even stronger language when discussing Ukraine’s corruption. “Perceptions of high-level corruption,” the confidential document warns, could “undermine the Ukrainian public’s and foreign leaders’ confidence in the war-time government.”
Ukraine has long been notorious for its corruption, but the US has sought to downplay the issue as it has poured tens of billions of dollars in weapons and economic aid since the Russian invasion. But recent corruption scandals have brought Ukrainian graft back into the news and resulted in mass firings, including President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent sacking of his defense minister and six deputy defense ministers.
A US official speaking to POLITICO acknowledged that “there are some honest conversations happening behind the scenes” regarding Ukraine’s corruption. Another US official said the Biden administration was discussing with Ukrainian officials the idea of potentially conditioning future economic aid on “reforms to tackle corruption and make Ukraine a more attractive place for private investment.”
The official said that the idea of conditioning military aid is not being discussed as the administration is determined to keep the proxy war going, no matter what risks or costs are involved.
Other long-term goals for Ukraine outlined in the strategy include Ukraine’s military adopting NATO standards and establishing a “domestic defense industry” in Ukraine that’s “capable of supporting core needs.” The strategy also calls for the creation of a “national level resistance plan,” which could mean the US supporting an insurgency if Russia gains more territory. The State Department would not clarify that point when asked by POLITICO.
“The United States supporting an insurgency”. Wow.
Just think of how american heads would explode when the baseless claims that Iran was “supporting insurgents” in both Afghanistan and Iraq were being made. The endless calls to attack Iran, the chest beating and crocodile tears of how our poor invaders were being targeted. When the press made up the story of Russia paying “bounties” to the Taliban for dead US soldiers, Republicans lost their collective minds.
But when it comes to the US paying terrorists (errr…”freedom fighters”) to kill Russian soldiers, that’s all good.
I just have to mention the frequent use of mercenaries to kill our alleged enemies.
Leaked Strategy Shows US Views Corruption in Ukraine as Major Threat only to be surpassed by corruption in Joey Biden’s White House.
Even Zelenskys probable execution won’t be enough to fix Ukraine. The US really fucked this up.
Blinken to Zelensky: You must root out corruption (wink wink).
It’s a complete coincidence, I suppose, that the State Department became so concerned about corruption about the same time that Republicans were preparing their impeachment announcement.
Another coincidence still bothers me. Vice President Biden went to Ukraine to demand the removal of Ukraine top prosecutor Victor Shokin, supposedly because he refused to file charges against deposed President Yanukovych. (Shokin 𝘸𝘢𝘴 removed shortly after that visit.) But some believe that he had a dual purpose… Hunter’s involvement with Burisima. I initially wrote this off as deliberately misleading conjecture. But here we are again.
There is nothing like a good conspiracy to warm your soul.I have always had suspicions about the end of JFK.
Agreed.
https://www.axios.com/2023/09/28/house-republicans-biden-impeachment-inquiry-hearing
You need to get the book, “Mary’s Mosaic” by Peter Janney to learn more about the assassination of JFK and 11 months later the assassination of his paramour, Mary Pinchot Meyer. It is a book you won’t be able to put down as it is a real page turner. A perfect book for the upcoming 60th anniversary of JFK’s assassination.
Zlochevsky.
Yes. I imagine we’ll be hearing more about him soon.
Have you read the Aaron Mate interview with Andrii Telizhenko? He’s slimy because he took part in the coup but it puts perspective on the entire situation:
https://thegrayzone.com/2023/07/13/bidens-corruption-led-to-ukraines-destruction-fmr-kiev-diplomat/
thanks
We have as much chance of “rooting out corruption” in Ukraine as we did rooting it out in Iraq, or Afghanistan, or….here in the USA.
Corruption follows the US around like a rat with cheese.
It is possible that Putin will eventually cure this as part of his “denazification” agenda.
The prosecutor Shokin was after the chief of Burisma. Biden extorted President Poroshenko to fire Shoken or lose a large pot of gold.. Shokin was fired, UA got its payoff, Biden admitted to the press, and yet there he is.. (not in prison)..
“…including President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent sacking of his defense minister and six deputy defense ministers.”
The corruption will not stop, or even slow down, until Zelensky himself is removed from power and his connections are severed. It really is THAT simple.
Ukraine was mired neck-deep in corruption when Zelensky was a teenage wannabe comedian. He owes his current position to his corrupt oligarch ex-boss, Igor Kolomoyskyi, recently arrested in Ukraine and currently under indictment in the US (and a target of civil suits and other investigations elewhere in Europe).
Getting rid of Zelensky would make almost no difference in the levels of corruption in Ukraine. It would merely trigger yet another reshuffling of oligarchs, and sleazy schemes, the sort of reshuffling that has been almost routine there.
“Leaked Strategy Shows US Views Corruption in Ukraine as Major Threat”
The headline should read, “Corrupt Biden Administration Views Corruption in Ukraine as a Mjaor Threat.”
Non corruption is unamerican
It’s always amusing to read about our corrupt government prattle on about human rights and corruption in other countries, when the U.S. is by far the established leader in both crimes.
Really? Who would have thought.