Yellen to Zelenskyy in Kyiv: US will keep helping Ukraine as long as needed
Kyiv, Feb 27 (EFE).- US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday in Kyiv told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington will continue helping the beleaguered East European country to defend itself against the Russian invasion as long as necessary.
“I bring to Kyiv a clear message from President Biden and the American people: We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said the top representative of the US economy in a statement after meeting with Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian government officials.
Yellen’s trip to Ukraine was made in secret for security reasons, just like the visit President Joe Biden made to Kyiv last week to commemorate the first anniversary of the Russian military invasion, which was launched by the Kremlin on Feb. 24, 2022.
Saying that the US was “committed” to providing the security assistance Kyiv needs to defend the country, the Treasury secretary added that the US also knows that resistance on the military front is not possible without a strong and stable internal or domestic front. “A functioning Ukrainian economy is vital to its ability to finance a robust defense effort,” said Yellen on Monday.
According to the Treasury Department, the secretary discussed US economic support for Ukraine and noted the first transfer of $1.25 billion in support to Kyiv of the $9.9 billion in civilian aid that was announced last Friday and which will be provided between now and September.
Yellen also emphasized the efforts of the US and a large portion of the international community to impose severe sanctions on Russia, degrade its war capability and limit the income it received to finance the invasion.
Saying that “Ukraine’s fight is our fight,” Yellen added that Kyiv and Washington share the values of democracy, the right to self-determination and for an international order that promotes peace and prosperity.
In her meeting with Zelenskyy, she said, they focused particularly on discussing cooperation to supply economic and budgetary aid.
Yellen said that the Ukrainian leader and his administration have taken measures to cut non-essential expenditures and implement prudent policies to stabilize the country’s economy, adding that the US praises Zelenskyy’s focus on eradicating corruption and implementing necessary reforms to stabilize the Ukrainian economy.
EFE pem/mgr
