Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said during meetings in the United States that she felt strong support for Ukraine from Washington.
She stated this in an interview with Reuters, according to Ukrinform.
Svyrydenko noted that during her meeting with US Treasury Secretary Bessent she conveyed Ukraine's position that sanctions against Russia must not be weakened or lifted.
"I think Secretary Bessent stands with Ukraine and stands for Ukraine. It was very friendly discussion, and he's very supportive. I think that all our counterparts here in the United States ... understand it perfectly well: that to prevent the circumvention of the sanctions, and also to strengthen the sanctions is an extremely important measure that should be taken to make Russia weaker," the head of the Ukrainian government said.
During the meetings in the US, special attention was paid to security guarantees and Ukraine's reconstruction. Svyrydenko emphasized that the war must end "with the proper security guarantees, the proper prosperity plan, with a proper plan for the reconstruction and the recovery."
She noted that over the past year ties between Ukraine and the United States have deepened through work on the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund (URIF), which approved its first project last month, with a second energy project expected this summer.
The Prime Minister expressed hope to expand the fund to approve more than the three projects planned for this year and said that more than 200 applications have already been received.
Svyrydenko also noted progress in negotiations with the IMF on an $8 billion loan approved in February, adding that an IMF mission is expected to visit Kyiv in May. According to her, the Fund understands that Ukraine needs greater flexibility on a number of issues and is ready to support it.
She said that after meetings in Washington she felt a new wave of support, and that the atmosphere was more constructive than during previous visits.
"During this visit, I felt that everybody was very supportive. My first reflection after two days is that it's changed," Svyrydenko said.
She also expressed hope for the unblocking of the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia, as well as a EUR 90 billion EU loan after elections in Hungary.
She added that this could also be good news for Ukraine's "irreversible" path toward EU membership.
"All Ukrainians feel themselves like part of the EU family, and I think they deserve to be there. So now is the right time for us to move faster and to have the fast track for our EU integration," she said.
As Ukrinform reports, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko met with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Washington.
Photo: Yulia Svyrydenko / Telegram
