Ukraine's Yermak and U.S. NSA Sullivan discuss Donbas, corruption fights

The Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Andriy
Yermak and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone on March
29. The conversation centered on the fight against corruption and the situation
in Donbas and Crimea, as well as Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions. Statements
by both sides released after the call point to “clear and consistent” American
policy in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Regarding the fight against corruption, the U.S.
release stated that Sullivan “relayed the Biden administrations commitment to
revitalize our strategic partnership in support of President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy’s … plan to tackle corruption…”.

James Hydzik: The phone
call can be seen as the first fruit of last week’s moves by President Zelensky
to remove Constitutional Court judges Oleksandr Tupytskyi and Oleksandr
Kasminin. Zelensky is under pressure by the Biden administration to perform
according to his own promises of cleaning up corruption in Ukraine. Removing
these judges, who the Verkhovna Rada have declared as acting in ways dangerous
to the sovereignty of Ukraine, fits the bill.

The fact that the call was with Sullivan in particular
is important, as he is a long-term advisor with a grounded understanding of
Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian statement, Yermak focused on the situation
along the front in Donbas, and how the U.S. could help with strengthening the
Ukrainian military. American support in that fashion is important, and the
American embassy could provide information on that. But in terms of Zelensky’s
escalating fight with Tupytskyi, public support from the White House is precisely
what is needed.