White House rejects Ukraine request for major, non-NATO U.S. ally status

During his visit to Washington, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked the U.S. Congress on Sept. 18 to vote to grant Ukraine the status of major, non-NATO U.S. ally status. He also called for heightened sanctions against the Russian government. “Our nation decided in favor of freedom and democracy,” he said from the Congress’s tribunal. “Another nation decided to punish Ukraine for these steps. The world can’t allow such behavior. I call upon the world to counteract an aggressor today for the sake of the future.”

 

U.S. President Barack Obama rejected Poroshenko’s request for major, non-NATO U.S. ally status, Poroshenko confirmed to the CNN television news network that evening. “He said ‘no’ because we already have special status for the level of cooperation between the U.S. and Ukraine,” he said. “The level of security and defense cooperation in much higher than just the status of major, non-NATO ally, for example, granted to Argentina,” Poroshenko said. “And we are working under special status for strategic defense and security partner of the United States, and I think that would be more efficient.”

 

During his address to Congress, Poroshenko said he’s willing to give more rights to the separatists, yet he won’t agree to their demand for separation from the Ukrainian state. “I am ready to provide the separatists more rights than any part of Ukraine had in the nation’s history,” he said. “I am ready to discuss anything, except Ukraine’s independence, its territorial integrity and its sovereignty.”

 

The Ukrainian president also asked the U.S. government to create a special fund to support American investment in Ukraine and help reform the economy and justice system. “Implementing all-encompassing reforms is what’s necessary for Ukraine to survive,” he told Congress. “Realizing this, I pledge that I will uphold these reforms.” Poroshenko invited U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to lead a delegation to Ukraine on Sept. 26-27 to meet with state officials and business leaders and discuss reforms and measures to strengthen investment and the economy overall.

 

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved on Sept. 18 a bill granting USD 350 mln in military and non-military aid to Ukraine. The same legislation also approves granting Ukraine major non-NATO U.S. ally status. The committee also approved the 2014 Freedom in Ukraine Act. Both bills will be submitted to the U.S. Senate for approval.

 

The U.S. government will offer an aid package to Ukraine worth USD 53 mln, reported on Sept. 18 the foreign relations committee’s press service. More than USD 7 mln will be directed to international organizations to offer humanitarian aid to those who suffered in the conflict, while USD 46 mln will be offered as aid to the Ukrainian military and border service, in addition to USD 70 mln in aid already announced by the U.S. in these spheres. The U.S. government will continue to work with the U.S. Congress to find additional opportunity for aid to Ukraine, the statement said. One example is a request by the White House that the Congress earmark an additional USD 45 mln in 2015 to strengthen Ukrainian defense in the framework of the so-called European Initiative.

 

The U.S. government approved USD 116 mln in aid to the Ukrainian military in the form of equipment and border enforcement training, the White House announced in a Sept. 18 statement. The equipment includes helmets, bulletproof vests, transportation, night-vision goggles, rations, patrol boats, tents and radars. As part of the aid, military experts will also offer training in improving first aid and defending medical personnel.

 

Zenon Zawada: The news of more than USD 500 mln in aid in the pipeline from the U.S. was overshadowed by the U.S. government’s decision to reject major, non-NATO U.S. ally status to Ukraine. With his remarks to CNN, Poroshenko was doing damage control for what’s otherwise a certain foreign policy disappointment. Yet we don’t see a tragedy in this as the U.S. can continue to support Ukraine in other ways, as demonstrated by the funds being offered.

 

We can’t yet confirm why U.S. defense authorities declined the status, yet we believe it’s more related to lack of confidence in the Ukrainian government than not wanting to upset the Russian government. But certainly, Ukraine’s low ranking on the U.S. list of geopolitical priorities also played a role. America’s The New Republic published an article on Sept. 17 that alleged U.S. President Barack Obama told an informal gathering that “we do very little trade with Ukraine and, geopolitically … what happens in Ukraine doesn’t pose a direct threat to us.” That’s the view of Ukraine in the Obama administration that led to the rejection of the status.