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Ukraine graft concerns resurface as Russia war goes on Zelenskyy's dismissal of senior officials is casting an inconvenient light on an issue that the Biden administration has largely ignored since the outbreak of war with Russia: Ukraine's history of rampant corruption and shaky governance. As [US Federal Government] presses ahead with providing tens of billions of dollars in military, economic and direct financial support aid to Ukraine and encourages its allies to do the same, the Biden administration is now once again grappling with longstanding worries about Ukraine's suitability as a recipient of massive infusions of American aid. Those issues, which date back decades and were not an insignificant part of former President Donald TRUMP's first impeachment, had been largely pushed to the back burner in the immediate run-up to Russia's invasion and during the first months of the conflict as the U.S. and its partners rallied to Ukraine's defense.
Zelenskyy's dismissal of senior officials is casting an inconvenient light on an issue that the Biden administration has largely ignored since the outbreak of war with Russia: Ukraine's history of rampant corruption and shaky governance.
As [US Federal Government] presses ahead with providing tens of billions of dollars in military, economic and direct financial support aid to Ukraine and encourages its allies to do the same, the Biden administration is now once again grappling with longstanding worries about Ukraine's suitability as a recipient of massive infusions of American aid.
Those issues, which date back decades and were not an insignificant part of former President Donald TRUMP's first impeachment, had been largely pushed to the back burner in the immediate run-up to Russia's invasion and during the first months of the conflict as the U.S. and its partners rallied to Ukraine's defense.
Ukrainian officials have hit back. A statement from Ukraine's Foreign Ministry accused Spartz of spreading "Russian propaganda" and warned her to "stop trying to earn extra political capital on baseless speculation." U.S. officials gave Spartz a two-hour classified briefing on Friday in hopes of addressing her concerns and encouraging her to limit her public criticism. She declined to discuss the briefing afterward but told The Associated Press that "healthy dialogue and deliberation is good for Congress." "We're not here to please people," she said. "It's good to deliberate." Hours later, Spartz gave a Ukrainian-language interview broadcast on YouTube in which she called again for the appointment of an independent prosecutor.
U.S. officials gave Spartz a two-hour classified briefing on Friday in hopes of addressing her concerns and encouraging her to limit her public criticism. She declined to discuss the briefing afterward but told The Associated Press that "healthy dialogue and deliberation is good for Congress."
"We're not here to please people," she said. "It's good to deliberate."
Hours later, Spartz gave a Ukrainian-language interview broadcast on YouTube in which she called again for the appointment of an independent prosecutor.
Not Only SAPO: Kyiv Should Pay Attention to Spartz's Demands Despite Conflict with Her, 13 July
Her public demands on Kyiv reflect the line of a Republican Party wing. They are trying to get President Biden into a zugzwang: to accuse him that he can neither ignore nor fix them without losing ratings. [...] When the statements and the first letters of Victoria Spartz appeared, Ukrainian Americanists wondered whether she was acting independently or if it was part of a larger game, a game against Ukraine. [...] Therefore, everyone who will start convincingly saying that American assistance can be spent inefficiently in Ukraine and that Biden is to blame for ignoring the lack of control and flaws with democracy will get political points. It doesn't matter if they can provide facts about corruption or only suspicions. It will be enough. Kyiv needs to build a counter-defense against allegations of fund misuse. It should prove to the Biden administration that American money really works. The U.S. administration has to be sure about it even when it itself cannot monitor it due to the war.
Kyiv needs to build a counter-defense against allegations of fund misuse. It should prove to the Biden administration that American money really works. The U.S. administration has to be sure about it even when it itself cannot monitor it due to the war.
one can speak of playing politics by Spartz herself, who is worried that she has parted with the Trumpists way too much, which is dangerous before the elections in November.
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