Ukraine’s new President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed the reforms and counteraction to Russian aggression with the representatives of the United States, according to the Ukrainian president’s official website.
He has reportedly had a meeting with the representatives of the US Administration and US Congress who arrived in Kyiv to take part in an official ceremony of the Ukrainian presidential inauguration.
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the American party for the leadership in the issue of restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as for the assistance in promoting the internal reforms.
"The United States is a powerful and serious partner for Ukraine, first of all, in overcoming the aggression of Russia. We will not be able to overcome Russian aggression in Donbas and Crimea alone. Therefore, we need your help. I would like to urge you that the United States keeps increasing sanctions against the Russian Federation".
Volodymyr Zelensky also thanked the US for the assistance in the sphere of security.
The President added that he was ready to implement transparent, open and democratic reforms in Ukraine: “We have a very good example of your country. Reforming Ukraine as a whole, in all areas, will not be held after the ceasefire in Donbas, but in parallel, because we need it. We want to become a European country in terms of values and transparency.”
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the President of the United States Donald Trump for his greetings and expressed hope for a meeting in the near future.
On behalf of the American party, the meeting was attended by the members of the presidential delegation headed by US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker and US Senator Ron Johnson.
Zelensky, a comedian with no prior political experience, won the presidency by a landslide last month. He said that one of his priorities was to achieve a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, where a five-year-old conflict with Russian-backed separatists has killed 13,000 people. According to him, dialogue with Russia could only happen after the return of Ukrainian territory and prisoners of war.
