[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 6 (Monday, February 14, 1994)]
[Pages 256-257]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to Ukrainian-Americans

February 10, 1994

    First of all, I think, Julian, you and Orest met with the Vice 
President in Milwaukee when I was unable to come, and I'm sorry I missed 
the meeting, but I'm glad to have all of you here now.
    I think the relationships between the United States and Ukraine are 
at their strongest point since 1991. I think all of you know that I had 
a very good meeting with President Kravchuk and other leaders of Ukraine 
when I was in Europe. We had a fine meeting and a good dinner at 
Boryspil Airport, didn't we, Tony? And I'm looking forward to President 
Kravchuk's trip here on March the 4th.
    We're moving as quickly as we can to establish good relationships. 
The first and most important step was taken with the trilateral nuclear 
agreement, which was approved by the Rada just a few days ago. And I'm 
very pleased about that. It was very interesting because Mr. Kravchuk 
was confident it would be approved and yet all the press reports were 
that it probably wouldn't be. And he turned out to be right, so I'm very 
encouraged by that.
    We have already approved and provided $175 million in assistance to 
facilitate the dismantling of the nuclear weapons, and we expect to 
almost double that amount when President Kravchuk is here. We're also 
going to work very closely to make sure that Ukraine receives fair 
compensation for the value of the nuclear materials, the highly enriched 
uranium, that are in the warheads. And we have a good strategy for that, 
and I'm confident that that will occur.
    Once Ukraine accedes to the nonproliferation treaty, which is the 
next big parliamentary fight, we will extend further security assurances 
to Ukraine, including our commitment to the sovereignty of the nation 
and its independence within its existing borders. And we have been very 
clear about that, and we hope that that will encourage the Rada and 
others in Ukraine to accede to the NPT.
    We've also had some progress on our economic relations. Of course, 
the biggest problem, obviously, is the high rate of inflation and the 
problems with industrial productivity. But President Kravchuk has, I 
think, launched the beginnings, at least, of an economic reform program. 
And we had decided to double our bilateral economic assistance to 
Ukraine this year to more than $300 million, and we hope that will be 
helpful to them.
    We also have encouraged the World Bank and the IMF to take a 
different look at Ukraine, and there will be delegations in Kiev, I 
think this week, sometime in the next few days. There will be 
delegations from the IMF and the World Bank there. And finally, we have 
agreed to an ambitious effort to increase American private investment 
with Ukraine. So I think we are moving forward on the economic issue.
    I hope that all of you will play a big role in the development of 
our relations. I hope you will stay in close touch with the White House. 
I hope you will give us your best ideas about what can be done. But I 
have to say that I was immensely pleased that I was able to stop in 
Ukraine when I was in Europe, and I was pleased with the continuing 
development of the relationship. I know that the nation has many 
problems, but it's a difficult time for all the former Communist 
economies. And on balance, I would say we are doing rather well in our 
relationships with them, and I feel that they're strong, they're growing 
stronger. And I think the Kravchuk visit here will be a very positive 
thing.
    One of the things that I'm quite sensitive to that I would maybe 
solicit your advice about is to make sure that when he comes here and 
when we meet that it's actually a positive for him at home. Because when 
all these countries are going through difficult changes--not just 
Ukraine but others--their relationships with the United States are 
almost a mixed blessing, I think, with the people back home, because 
everybody wants us to help and be supportive but not to dictate unduly 
to them what the terms of their own development and future should be. So 
it's a little bit of a delicate thing, but we're trying to be sensitive 
to that. And I think the presence in the United States of a strong 
Ukrainian-American community can help to deal with that problem, can 
help to create a sense of identity with us among grassroots people and 
various political forces in Ukraine that

[[Page 257]]

perhaps will head off some of the tensions that we have experienced in 
other places.

Note: The President spoke at 10:11 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Anthony Lake, Assistant to 
the President for National Security Affairs; Julian Kulas, chair, 
Chicago-Kiev Sister City Committee; and Orest Baranyk, vice president, 
Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of these remarks.