Zelenskyy Hopes for Best with Biden and with Ukrainian Americans’ Help

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hoping that the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the USA will strengthen US-Ukraine relations.

Apparently the Ukrainian chief executive is still nurturing some sour taste after President Trump played favorites with his counterpart Vladimir Putin of Russia while slighting Kyiv.

In an interview with The New York Times on Monday, December 21, Zelenskyy said “New President Joe Biden … even before his presidency he had, so to speak, deep relations with Ukraine and understands Russians well, understands the difference between Ukraine and Russia well and I think understands the mentality of Ukrainians well. This will greatly help strengthen these relations, help settle the war in Donbas and end the occupation of our territory. The United States can help.”

Nonetheless, Zelenskyy has also not abandoned hope that the American people will continue to support Ukraine and won’t allow anti-Ukrainian rhetoric by any US officials. “America is actually showing its support, and we are grateful for the sanctions policy – it is serious. Both the Crimean sanctions and the Nord Stream were strategically important for us. And it was very difficult,” Zelenskyy said in the interview.

Zelenskyy chose to thank Donald Trump and his Administration for the support that Ukraine enjoyed. “I am grateful for the fact that Ukraine has become a NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner, for all the sanctions against Russia, and for training with NATO. Our relationship does not end. As for the economy, I think that these relations were not enough,” he said.

He believes that Biden’s messages regarding the concept of a global strategic vision of security in Europe are important for Ukraine. “Because if we talk about security in Europe, the only war in Europe today is the war in Donbas. This is a war, a war of Ukraine,” he said.

Zelenskyy noted that Biden’s inclusion in the Normandy format negations regarding Russia’s invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory would benefit the process because he understands the issues of Ukraine and Russia.  “He spoke about security in Europe, and thirdly, we believe that it is not enough to talk simply about the end of the war," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy also expects Washington’s support for reintegrating Russian-occupied Donbas.

“We need the reintegration of Donbas. And to reintegrate Donbas, you need strong companies, strong technology, security and money. And here, I think, we will not cope alone. We are planning a free economic zone in Donbas, so that there are certain preferences for business to enter. And here the United States of America could play a key role. Well, we understand that the United States today is a guarantor of security in the world, a serious strategic player, so such steps could accelerate the end of the war in Donbas and the beginning of large-scale construction, large-scale reintegration of Donbas,” he said.

The United States could also play a positive, pro-Ukraine role in temporarily occupied Crimea, Zelenskyy continued. “We are now creating a Crimean platform and, of course, we would like to see in it those countries that will be key players, key guarantors of the return and de-occupation of Crimea. Return of Crimea and our territorial integrity. And the United States could be a leader in this direction," he explained.

In truth be told, while Trump did not favor Ukraine and hardly said a positive word about its independence and presidents, for the past four years Washington did not slight Kyiv. The US did provide Ukraine with military supplies and Russia was sanctioned for its criminal actions. Indeed, Americans support Ukraine over Russia but, it must be emphasized, that this is only due to the diligent work of Ukrainian Americans lead by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian National Information Service in Washington.

For some 100 years – obviously before Ukraine declared its independence from Russia – the Ukrainian American community has been building durable relations with senators, congressmen and their appointees about the global importance of supporting an independent Ukraine. It can safely be said that any congressional district with even a handful of Ukrainian Americans will be regularly deluged with information about Ukraine, its past fight for independence, the Holodomor, and the current Russo-Ukraine War of 2014-20. The message has been clear and to the point: Without a strong, independent Ukraine, there will be no possibility of regional and global peace and security.

As I’ve written before, quoting from Roman Olesnicki’s article in the inaugural edition of The Ukrainian Quarterly, “It remains for us, who either came from Ukraine, or have strong ties with Ukraine, to point out to the various authors of peace plans when and where they have erred, so as to forestall in time, if at all possible, the creation of a new boiling cauldron in Eastern Europe, which would be incompatible with a durable peace … It is therefore a duty for all those of us, who through birth or descent have roots in Ukraine, to warn that no durable peace can come out of another injustice committed on Ukraine.”

Don’t worry, President Zelenskyy, we, Ukrainian Americans, have Ukraine’s back.