Nuland says Ukraine's government and parliament must come together behind reform program / Photo from UNIAN
Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Victoria Nuland calls on Ukraine to clean up corruption and liberalize the economy, according to Voice of America (VOA).
Nuland says Ukraine's government and parliament must come together behind reform program that delivers what the Maidan Revolution demanded – clean leadership, justice, an end to backroom deals, and public institutions that serve Ukraine's citizens rather than impoverishing or exploiting them, VOA wrote.
All those who call themselves reformers must rebuild consensus in support of aggressive measures "to clean up corruption, restore justice and liberalize the economy," she said at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.
The ability of the United States and the international community to continue to support Ukraine depends upon the commitment of its leaders to put their people and country first, she said.
According to her, Ukraine's greatest challenge remains the Russian occupation of the Crimean peninsula and the restoration of sovereignty in the eastern Donbas region through full implementation of the September 2014 and February 2015 Minsk agreements.
These agreements remain the best hope for peace in eastern Ukraine, she said.
In her words, the United States is continuing to work in close coordination with Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France to see them fully implemented.