U.S. Support For Ukraine

The United States strongly supports Ukraine as the government there works to establish security and stability, pursue democratic elections and constitutional reform, revive its economy, and ensure government institutions are accountable to the Ukrainian people. To demonstrate the United States’ commitment, President Barack Obama announced a new assistance package totaling $50 million to help Ukraine pursue political and economic reform.

U.S. Support For Ukraine

Constitutional reform and free and fair elections are keys to Ukraine’s democratic development. The U.S. is contributing $11.4 million to support the integrity of the May 25 elections. These efforts include voter education programs, transparent election administration, election security, and a balanced media environment.

The U.S. has already signed a $1 billion loan guarantee to help Ukraine meet its financial obligations and protect vulnerable citizens from the impact of economic adjustments. The U.S. has also supported Ukraine’s work with the International Monetary Fund to secure a loan program worth $14-$18 billion.

Over the coming weeks, teams of U.S. experts will travel to the region to help Ukraine meet immediate and longer term energy needs. A U.S. team has already arrived in Kyiv to help Ukraine secure reverse flows of natural gas from its European neighbors.

The United States is committed to helping Ukraine break its cycle of corruption that acts as a tax on business, an impediment to economic growth, and a drain on public trust.

To further strengthen ties between the people of Ukraine and the United States, the U.S. is announcing its intent to establish a new bilateral visa regime that will extend the standard validity of visas for businesspeople and tourists from 5 years to 10 years.

In addition to the $50 million package, the U.S. is providing $8 million of non-lethal military assistance to allow Ukrainian armed forces and State Border Guard Service to fulfill their core security missions.

As Vice President Joe Biden told the Ukrainians on his recent visit to their country, “You will not walk this road alone. We will walk it with you.”