America’s Interest Is Ukraine in Europe

The US intends to encourage Ukraine to march toward democracy and develop a market economy, US Undersecretary of State Steven Pifer, former US ambassador to Ukraine, told a press conference on December 7. “It is in US interests to see Ukraine a democratic and market-economy country integrating in Europe... We continue to cooperate with Ukraine to encourage it to pursue this goal,” Mr. Pifer emphasized. According to the diplomat, of paramount importance is whether Ukraine really wants to be seen as a country under the rule of law, Interfax-Ukraine reports. Mr. Pifer stressed that the Heorhy Gongadze affair and the so-called tapegate had tarnished Ukraine’s international image. Mr. Pifer also said that, with due account of the current emigration policies of Ukraine, Russia, and other former Soviet states, the US administration has concluded that these states have met the Jackson-Vanik amendment requirements. He announced that the government was now holding consultations with the US Congress about a law that would allow withdrawing, for instance, Ukraine and Russia from the list of countries subject to this amendment on free emigration. Moreover, Mr. Pifer pointed out, there is “a broader aspect to the amendment” which relates to the human rights situation, especially the rights of Jews in one country or another.