EU, Ukraine vow to introduce trade pact next month despite Russian threats

Biden’s address before the Ukrainian Parliament, the first of its kind by a high-ranking U.S. official since 1991, flew in the face of Russia’s assertion that it is the pro-Western government in Kiev that flouts the peace accord. Ukraine and the West have accused Russian Federation of backing the rebels in eastern Ukraine with troops and weapons.

Widespread governmental corruption led to massive protests that ousted Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has used to justify his invasion and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

Ahead of Joe Biden’s speech in the parliament, American politician hold meetings with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Kiev Mayor Vitaliy Klichko.

“When Joe Biden comes there and, in the propaganda frenzy, warms up the audiences from the rostrum saying that we will not go back on the need for Russian Federation to fulfill all the requirements, and everyone applauds vigorously, I do not think this is a contribution to the solution of the Ukrainian crisis”, he said.

The four lines are the only sources of electricity for Crimea, so when they came down the territory was plunged into darkness, according to the BBC’s David Stern in southern Ukraine.

In a December 7 blog about his trip – the fifth to the region as vice president – Biden warned that Ukraine is running out of chances.

The restoration of the energy supply was approved by the pro-Ukrainian activists who had previously advocated a full blockade of Crimea by Ukraine.

Biden urged Ukraine to carry out painful but crucial reforms to make governance more transparent, noting that “corruption eats Ukraine like cancer”. However, it is not clear if Biden will touch upon possible additional military assistance to Ukraine during his visit early next week.

“It is no exaggeration to say the hopes of freedom-loving people the world over are with you, because so much rides on your fragile experiment with democracy succeeding”, Biden said. For this fight, you should carry out the judicial reform to bring to justice the persons concerned…

The American leader stressed during his remarks that Ukraine must continue to fight corruption with civil society playing a key role.

United Nations investigators documented cases of “enforced disappearance, arbitrary and incommunicado detention as well as torture and ill treatment of people suspected of trespassing against territorial integrity or terrorism or believed to be supporters of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk people’s republic” and “Luhansk people’s republic”.