Taylor: Ukraine's steps towards reintegration of Donbas require international support

29.10.2019 16:21

Ukrinform

The international community should support through sanctions and political support sometimes unpopular but necessary steps of the incumbent Ukrainian authorities towards peace and reintegration of the occupied Donbas population.

"We have been talking here [at the investment forum] about scaling up, increasing our efforts and taking risks. I think that the Government of Ukraine has already taken risks and done something to try to settle the conflict in Donbas what the previous governments did not do. And the steps you take sometimes are not so popular... But if Ukraine, its government continues to follow this path, and attention and resources will be devoted to achieving peace, then international community must stand with you and for you, and the sanctions should remain in place, and political support should continue," William Taylor, the Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of the United States Embassy in Ukraine, said at the first investment forum RE: Think. Invest in Ukraine in Mariupol, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He added that, in his opinion, the United States could help Ukraine in promoting this thesis in the international arena.

"We want to work with you further," the diplomat assured.

According to Taylor, the investment forum participants have talked much about the rule of law, but being in Mariupol, a few kilometers from the contact line, he would like to remind that the greatest violator of the rule of law is Russia.

"In order to improve the lives of Ukrainians in Donbas and throughout Ukraine, we need to keep that in mind," he stressed.

In Taylor's view, holding the first investment forum in south-eastern Ukraine on the initiative of the President of Ukraine means that the new government cares for this part of the country and this is very important.

"But there is another important point. The new Government of Ukraine cares for people living on the other side of the border, in the areas not controlled by the government. This is very important. Because if we want reintegration, they have to come here, they have to become a part of Ukraine again, and they [need] to know that you – both the president and the people of Ukraine – consider them Ukrainians. This is a very important point that you demonstrate at this meeting," the Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of the United States Embassy in Ukraine said.