Additional Assistance for Ukraine

Additional Assistance for Ukraine

Taken Question
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

Question Taken at the April 10, 2014 Daily Press Briefing
April 14, 2014

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Question: What additional assistance is the United States providing to Ukraine?

Answer: Today, April 14, the United States and Ukraine signed a loan guarantee agreement intended to unlock $1 billion in financing for the Government of Ukraine and bolster its ability to provide critical services as it implements necessary reforms, while protecting vulnerable Ukrainians from the impact of much-needed economic adjustments. The loan guarantee agreement was signed at the Department of Treasury by USAID Associate Administrator Mark Feierstein and Ukrainian Minister of Finance Oleksandr Shlapak. The United States is committed to helping Ukraine access international markets as quickly as possible.

We also are providing other forms of assistance to meet Ukraine’s most pressing needs and to help it enact the reforms needed to make its IMF program a success. This includes helping Ukraine carry out crucial economic reforms. We have sent Treasury Department and USAID technical advisors to work with Ukraine’s National Bank, Finance Ministry, and Deposit Guarantee Fund.

The United States is helping Ukraine recover stolen assets and reduce corruption. For example, we have sent a team of experts from the Treasury Department, Justice Department, and FBI to advise the Ukrainian government on how to investigate and collect evidence needed to recover stolen assets located abroad. The U.S. and UK will co-host a multilateral meeting April 29-30 to bring together Ukrainian officials and their counterparts from key financial center countries to coordinate on tracing stolen assets. USAID has advised the Ministry of Economic Development on recently passed amendments to the Public Procurement law, which promotes competition and transparency in tenders and is helping Ukraine meet requirements to become compliant with the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative.

USAID and the State Department are providing over $11.4 million in assistance to promote free, fair, and peaceful elections on May 25. This will include support for domestic and international election observers, transparent and effective election administration, and voter education campaigns among other activities.

And we are helping Ukraine withstand politically motivated trade actions by Russia, including those linked to energy. For example, USAID is working with other donors to help reform the energy sector and improve energy efficiency.

On the security side, we have long-standing military-to-military cooperation with Ukraine. Our ongoing Foreign Military Financing and International Military and Education Programs have focused on supporting defense reforms, military professionalization, increasing the interoperability of Ukrainian forces, and expanding Ukraine’s deployable peacekeeping capabilities. We currently are working with Ukraine to determine its requirements across the security sector. Based on those requirements, we will review options for potential additional security assistance. On March 29, the United States delivered approximately 300,000 meals-ready-to-eat (MRE) rations to Ukraine.

ENDS

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