Kolomoisky’s influence on authorities causes harm to Ukraine’s relations with West – Pifer

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (1998-2000) Steven Pifer drew attention to the unacceptability of any influence of businessman Ihor Kolomoisky on decisions of the current state leadership of Ukraine.

Pifer, who currently serves as a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, wrote about this on Twitter on Wednesday.

"Ukraine's former National Security and Defense Council Secretary Danyliuk says he resigned due to concern about influence of oligarch Kolomoisky. If Kolomoisky indeed has influence, that will play badly with IMF and Ukraine's supporters in West," Pifer noted.

In September, Pifer said that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky needed to deal carefully with businessman Ihor Kolomoisky, and warned against compromises on Privatbank.

Earlier, a number of international observers and experts said that contacts of Zelensky and his team with Kolomoisky and reports of alleged attempts to resolve the situation on PrivatBank with a controversial businessman caused harm to Ukraine.

On September 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree dismissing Oleksandr Danylyuk as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC).

ish