US-Ukraine Trade Exchange Increased by 70% in Just A Year

During Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s meeting with the United States’ National Security Advisor John Bolton both diplomats highlighted the recent improvements in relations between the two countries, as well as an opportunity for further progress.

Photo credit: Mykola Lazarenko/POOL

“Today our cooperation allows us to draw some conclusions,” Poroshenko said during the meeting on August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day. “The trade exchange [between the U.S. and Ukraine] has increased by 70% in just over a year. No other country shows such dynamics. This growth is a product of my White House negotiations with President Donald Trump last year, the arrival of American coal in Ukrainian stations, American nuclear fuel and agrarian investments, as well as many other things.”

Poroshenko also expressed gratitude for U.S.’ recent steps in support of Ukraine, namely the additional sanctions against Russia and the Crimean Declaration, which “clearly showed the U.S.’ stance on Russia’s illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea.”

“The sanctions are not punishment, they’re motivation for Russia to return to civilized society, withdraw their troops from Crimea and Donbas, not use chemical weapons in other countries, do politics in a civilized way and respect international law,” Poroshenko said.

Photo credit: president.gov.ua

Bolton said it’s a “big honor” to have been invited to Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations.

“[Today] is a good opportunity for me to hear about the current situation in Ukraine, its place within the international community, and the problems that exist in the country. I think that President Trump has already highlighted American support and solidarity with independent Ukraine,” Bolton said.

The National Security Advisor also highlighted that the U.S.’ refusal to recognize Crimean annexation is based on their history of condemning annexations starting with 1931-1932 when State Secretary Henry Stimson protested the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

/By Maria Romanenko