Biden administration ‘is secretly worried about corruption in Ukraine and fears it could sour support for Zelensky’s war against Putin,’ after US sent $75 billion to help ‘
- The Biden administration is concerned about corruption in Ukraine according to a leaked document discussing U.S. strategy in the war torn country
- Document obtained by Politico says the U.S. is trying to reform Ukraine believing that political dishonesty would cause more Western allies to stay out of the war
- Paperwork in question was confidential so as not to encourage even more Republicans to press for limiting U.S. military and financial aid
A confidential U.S. strategy document suggests that the Biden administration is more concerned about alleged corruption in Ukraine than first acknowledged.
A ‘sensitive but unclassified’ version of what is believed to be a possibly long-term U.S. plan for Ukraine outlines various measures the U.S. is taking to assist Kyiv in combatting corruption.
The fear is that growing criticism of corruption could ultimately lead Western allies to withdraw their support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.
Zelensky’s government has seen its most generous support from the United States, with $75 billion so-far committed – and some lawmakers increasingly local with concerns about how the cash is being spent.
The 22-page document, as seen by Politico, stresses how Kyiv should implement its anti-corruption efforts immediately.
The confidential document emphasizes that ‘perceptions of high-level corruption’ could also erode confidence in Ukraine’s wartime government among both the Ukrainian public and foreign leaders.
The Biden administration is concerned about corruption in Ukraine according to a leaked document discussing U.S. strategy in the war torn country. Pictured, Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are pictured at the White House last month
A view of Humvees given to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in December 2021
Commander of the Joint Forces the Armed Forces of Ukraine, lieutenant general Serhiy Nayev fires a US made MK19 automatic grenade launcher during military training exercise in Kyiv last month
It also gives details of what has been terms the ‘Integrated Country Strategy’ which provides information about U.S. objectives in Ukraine, including efforts to privatize banks, promote the teaching of English in schools, and encourage the Ukrainian military to adopt NATO protocols.
The document pledges U.S. support for Ukraine with ‘continued military and security assistance’ but adds, ‘A clear, transparent strategy to deoligarch the economy and deliver prosperity for all is central to these reforms.’
‘Even as Ukraine fights to liberate its territory, the fight for the future is also important,’ the document states.
‘President Zelenskyy campaigned on a promise to clean up corruption and remains publicly committed to rebuilding a Ukraine that benefits all of society. Ukraine cannot afford to push reforms to a post-war period. The country must lay the framework to win the future even now.’
It adds, ‘Ukraine must move against entrenched, politically influential interests to succeed now and in the post-war recovery. Reforms in the energy sector, a bastion of corruption and oligarchic control, are essential to cementing Ukraine’s European integration.’
Whether the U.S. will send a fresh round of military aid to Ukraine remains up in the air.
Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill over the weekend, but it was passed without any funding for the war effort in Ukraine.
The resolution passed does not include provisions for Kyiv, despite calls from the White House and Senate to incorporate it.
Still, Democrats hope to pass a separate aid measure in the coming days, though it is unclear if such a package would include the $24 billion President Joe Biden had originally sought.
Whether the U.S. will send a fresh round of military aid to Ukraine is up in the air. Pictured, Gunner ‘Molfar’, 39, a Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle crew member of the 47th Magura Mechanized Brigade
Workers unload a shipment of military aid delivered as part of the United States of America’s security assistance to Ukraine, at the Boryspil airport, outside Kyiv, Ukraine in early 2022
A faction of far-right Republican House members says money sent to Ukraine could be better spent dealing with the immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border.
And House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he will require certain guarantees before introducing a new aid bill.
On Sunday, Biden said he had a deal with Speaker McCarthy to send more money to Kyiv.
His remarks led to Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz accusing the speaker of making a ‘secret deal.’ McCarthy, however, told reporters there was no deal.
Any perception of reduced American support for Kyiv might also lead European countries to reconsider their roles.
Behind the scenes, there are ongoing candid discussions with Ukrainian officials, according to an anonymous U.S. official familiar with Ukraine policy, reports Politico.
President Joe Biden on Sunday indicated he had a deal with Speaker Kevin McCarthy on funding for the Ukraine
Speaker McCarthy denied he had a deal with Biden on funding for Kyiv
Corruption is at the top of the agenda with U.S. officials weighing the possibility of tying future economic aid to Ukraine on reforms to combat corruption and attract private investment. Such conditions would not apply to military aid, however.
While NATO membership for Ukraine remains some way off, part of the new strategy calls for an aligning of Ukraine’s military with NATO standards.
The strategy would see Ukraine developing its military equipment production capabilities and its own domestic defense industry while reducing the influence of oligarchs, particularly in energy and mining sectors.
There would be an expansion in U.S. diplomatic presence beyond the capital Kyiv to other Ukrainian cities.
The U.S. wants to combat corruption at all levels starting with local governments but also throughout other parts of life in the country including the Ukrainian health sector and cyber security. It would also includes efforts to combat disinformation.
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