Volker on Zelensky’s visit to U.S.: Kyiv, Washington should establish they are “on the same side of the table”

That’s according to former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations, Kurt Volker, who gave a comment to Ukrinform.

 “First off, I think the most important about the Zelensky trip will be to try to establish the United States and Ukraine operating as genuine strategic partners, on the same side of the table, looking at issues and dealing with issues together.”

The former diplomat added that “too often we have seen us complaining about Ukrainians – ‘you need to do this, you need to do that’ – and Ukrainians being unhappy with the U.S. for one reason or another, whether it’s Nord Stream (2 – ed.) or its ships turning around in the Black Sea, or too much finger-wagging and not enough support.”

“So I hope we get over this,” the former U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations stressed.

If both parties are able to do that, Volker added, an honest conversation ought to follow on how the U.S. could “advance Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.”

In this context, the NATO Membership Action Plan, Volker believes, has become “an obstacle rather than a pathway” as certain countries exploit the MAP, saying Ukraine must have it but yet it can’t.

Asked what agreements he believes could be signed during Zelensky’s trip, including on security and defense, Volker said preparations must be still underway.

At the same time, he suggested some agreements might be sealed on reform and governance, as well as on energy, noting that “on security there really needs to be something.”

“I think it’s a principled issue here in Ukraine. Whether it’s physical security or energy security, and even developing the economy is a matter of security for Ukraine,” said Kurt Volker.

So this is the ground, he believes, where the U.S. could meet Ukraine and talk about advancing Ukraine’s security as this is “in our interest as well,” underlined Volker.

As reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky will be visiting the U.S. late August, on the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden.

The visit will kick off on August 30, while the summit of the two presidents was rescheduled for August 31 due to its format being extended to include a one-on-one meeting, as reported by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

im