Turning the pages back... February 10, 1994 (02/11/01)

Turning the pages back...

February 10, 1994

Seven years ago, on February 10, 1994, President Bill Clinton met with leaders of the Ukrainian American community to discuss U.S.-Ukrainian relations. Also at the White House meeting were Vice-President Al Gore, National Security Advisor Anthony Lake and Ambassador Strobe Talbott, whose nomination for deputy secretary of state was then pending in the Senate.

Stating that "the relationships between the United States and Ukraine are at their strongest point since 1991," the president outlined the progress in economic, political and military relations between the two nations, pointing out that the U.S. had already approved and provided $175 million in assistance to facilitate the dismantling of the nuclear weapons. President Clinton stated that he expects "to almost double that amount when President [Leonid] Kravchuk is here [in March]." He also announced that "we had decided to double our bilateral economic assistance to Ukraine this year to more than $300 million."

The Ukrainian delegation, numbering about 20, included representatives of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, Ukrainian National Association, Ukrainian Fraternal Association, Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Ukrainian National Women's League of America and Ukrainian American Bar Association.

Julian Kulas, chairman of the Ukrainian Americans for Clinton/Gore Committee in 1992, pointed out that the community can be a bridge to Ukraine. He stressed the community's great concern for the security of Ukraine, pointing out that "nations in Eastern Europe look to Ukraine as a stabilizing influence." Noting that "time is short," he urged that U.S. assistance be delivered to Ukraine as quickly as possible. Mr. Kulas presented the administration officials with a four-page position paper drafted by the community leadership.

Commenting on the meeting, Ulana Diachuk, president of both the UNA and the UACC, stated: "The meeting was a positive first step in the development of working relations between the Clinton administration and our community. We are looking forward to continuing this dialogue. Obviously, the positive steps that the administration has taken toward Ukraine are welcome, especially in light of the administration's focus on Russia only for the past year."

Source: "Ukrainian Americans meet with Clinton; discuss United States-Ukraine relations, " The Ukrainian Weekly, February 20, 1994, Vol. LXII, No. 8.

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