Poroshenko returns from Washington with intensified Russia sanctions

Ukrainian President Poroshenko visited the White House for a June 20 meeting with U.S. President Trump, after which both leaders remarked positively though without specifics. Poroshenko said he gained the Trump administration’s “firm support” in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia, with Trump giving clear orders for “wider cooperation.” After meeting with Poroshenko, Defense Secretary James Mattis reiterated in a press release full U.S. support for maintaining sanctions against Russia and enhanced cooperation with Ukraine in the defense sphere. White House Spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed that the Trump administration views Russia as an aggressor in Donbas.

The meeting between the two presidents occurred shortly after the U.S. Treasury announced it expanded and intensified its sanctions against Russia to include 38 more citizens and companies involved in the occupation of Crimea and Donbas. Among them were 20 subsidiaries of Transneft, Russian state monopoly oil transit firm. Among those targeted for intensified sanctions was Aleksandr Babakov, who has a vast business empire in Ukraine that includes eight regional electricity distribution and supply firms. The sanctions will remain in place until Russia upholds the Minsk Accords and withdraws from Crimea, the press release said.

Among Poroshenko’s other meetings involved Energy Secretary Rick Perry, with whom he discussed cooperation on atomic energy, hydrocarbon extraction in Ukraine, modernizing Ukraine’s natural gas transit and supplying Ukraine with American liquefied gas.

Zenon Zawada: So far, so good for the Ukrainian government. Firm U.S. support for Ukraine can’t get any clearer than enhanced sanctions against Russia. They put to rest any speculation that Trump or Tillerson will attempt to adapt a friendly foreign policy towards Russia anytime soon. U.S.-Ukrainian energy deals should surface in the coming months, which would be particularly successful if they reduce Ukraine’s dependence on natural gas from Russia.

The situation with defense is far more delicate. News reports mentioned that Poroshenko discussed with Tillerson obtaining defensive weapons. Though it’s positive that Ukraine is exploring all its options, we don’t see securing such weapons as realistic anytime soon, especially with U.S.-Russia tensions re-escalating in Syria this week. Introducing new weapons would go too far in disrupting the current balance in Donbas.