The Office of the US Department of State's Coordinator for Europe and Eurasia Assistance has published a grant to finance projects that will help European countries share their experience with EU integration with Ukraine. The relevant document is available to RT.
Moreover, the further implementation of such initiatives should be implied in the framework of the program for cooperation with new donor countries (Emerging Donors Challenge Program, EDCP), as indicated in the grant. This program involves the joint activities of the United States and Eastern European states. In particular, among the “new donor countries”, the following 11 are designated: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
“As part of the EDCP initiative, the USA is establishing partnerships with the above new donor countries by co-financing common projects in the field of assistance to foreign countries aimed at transferring to Ukraine the experience of these governments in overcoming the transition period and going through the process of EU integration,” the text says grant.
At the same time, the document outlines the priority areas of interaction within the program, among which, in particular, integration with Western markets, strengthening democracy in Ukraine and ensuring energy and cybersecurity.
The grant also explains how co-financing of joint projects in the framework of EDCP. According to the document, the USA will pay no more than 50% of the cost of the initiative, the rest rests with the partner. At the same time, the implementation period of the program should not exceed one and a half years.
- White House
- © Joshua Roberts / Reuters
The United States thus seeks to maintain its influence in Europe, says Professor of the Department of Comparative Political Science of the RUDN University, Yuri Post.
“This is such a collective work led by the United States, as if caring for a democratic Ukraine. This is an example of clear, thoughtful, systematic work to preserve our place in the world, to maintain influence on our allies. It is noteworthy that the United States does not want to bear the burden of expenses, they connect as many as 11 countries, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.
Pursue their own interests
Thus, the grant notes that as one of the areas of joint activities under the program, the US Embassy intends to consider projects to ensure Ukraine’s access to Western markets and expand opportunities for American investment and trade.
In particular, it is planned to promote the "implementation of relevant international and European standards." In addition, initiatives could include suggestions to improve the convenience of doing business and increase the competitiveness of private sector companies in Western markets, the document says.
In addition, the United States intends to tackle the security of Ukraine’s energy sector through “improving the legislative and regulatory environment” that meets the requirements of the European Union and the energy community.
“It also considers initiatives to diversify energy sources by expanding Ukraine’s capabilities to develop, implement and maintain energy projects - including initiatives in the field of environmentally friendly technologies and renewable energy sources - as well as by expanding opportunities for Western investors to participate,” - noted in the document.
- Pipes and valves are seen at an "Dashava" underground gas storage facility near Striy, Ukraine
- © Gleb Garanich / Reuters
Igor Shatrov, deputy director of the National Institute for the Development of Modern Ideology, in an interview with RT explained the interest of the United States in the implementation of such projects.
“Washington, first of all, arranging such projects, pursues its own interests in European countries, and not the interests of European states. This is the energy occupation of Europe, that is, reconfiguring the European energy system to liquefied gas from the United States, and reconfiguring other economic flows, breaking ties with Russia and building new flows with the United States. Therefore, Ukraine in this case is an object that can assist the Americans in implementing their strategy, ”the expert believes.
However, this is not the first attempt by the United States to increase Ukraine’s energy security through the development of competitive markets and the state’s integration into European markets. So, in July 2019, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was looking for a specialist for the position of senior energy adviser in Ukraine. According to the authors of the document, dependence on Russian fuel, in particular, contributed to the current situation in the energy sector of Ukraine.
In addition, in early September 2019, the US Department of Energy sent an expert delegation to Ukraine to help develop a “winter action plan” to solve critical problems during the upcoming heating season.
“Prevent the establishment of relations with Russia”
The assistance of the “new donor countries” will also be aimed at “strengthening democratic stability in Ukraine”.
“Initiatives aimed at strengthening independent media and civil society organizations, combating disinformation, improving media literacy, as well as increasing the transparency of the government’s work and its accountability,” the description of the direction in the grant can be considered here.
In particular, such goals can be achieved through the development of e-government and "reducing corruption potential" in Ukraine, the document says.
This is not the first time that the States have allocated money to “strengthen democratic processes” in Ukraine. So, in May it became known that the State Department Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor published a grant with an initial cost of $ 900 thousand in anticipation of the local elections in Ukraine, which will be held in 2020. The main objective of the project is "strengthening democratic processes and supporting elections that meet international standards."
According to experts interviewed by RT, the main task in such grants for Washington is to prevent the establishment of relations with Russia both in Ukraine and among Eastern European countries.
So, according to Igor Shatrov, a number of Eastern European countries are ready to revise relations with Russia, which Washington is trying to prevent through similar projects.
“On the one hand, Ukraine is getting involved in the processes of European integration, but probably the main one is another game - it is a reformatting, reconfiguration of Eastern European countries, most of which, with the exception of Poland, have already experienced all the hardships of the European Union and the problems of the EU’s economic conflict with Russia are ready to take a different look at relations with the Russian Federation. This is such an attempt to keep up with two birds with one stone or play on two boards, ”Shatrov emphasized in an interview with RT.
At the same time, according to Yuri Pochta, this is a long-term worked out scheme of the United States for the realization of economic interests through an ideological component.
“They (areas of cooperation within the framework of the program. - RT ), as if in a veiled form, demand that they break with Russia and ensure that the United States becomes a key or even exclusive supplier of energy resources at their own prices. In the first place are the economic interests of Washington. At the same time, the economy should be supplemented by ideological dependence, ”the expert is sure.