A warm and constructive meeting with long-time friends of Ukraine — Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, and former U.S. Department of State Coordinator of Sanctions Policy Daniel Fried.
Thanked them for their principled position, many years of dedication, and consistent support for Ukraine. Discussed the experiences of previous years and based on this, considered the most effective approaches for the current stage of the confrontation with Russia. Glad that our common position is clear: diplomacy without strength and without pressure tools cannot secure the desired outcome. That is why the diplomatic track must be accompanied by strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, primarily through the provision of long-range weapons, the implementation of creative and more powerful sanctions against the Russian aggressor, and real security guarantees.
Special attention was given to the importance of transatlantic unity between the United States and Europe, and bipartisan support for Ukraine in the USA. This is the only way to stop Putin.
We also discussed the internal situation in Ukraine, particularly the state of democracy, the rule of law, challenges of corruption, and the fight against it. It is critically important to strengthen the internal political unity of the state based on the principles of inclusivity, interaction, and coordination.
