On January 6, US senators said in their meeting with representatives of Ukrainian social organisations that Ukraine was becoming an unsolvable problem for the United States and the European Union. In particular, they claimed that President Poroshenko persecuted his political opponents and that the courts were controlled by politicians and oligarchs and were therefore not independent.
The primary source of information about US senators' meeting with Ukraine's civil society representatives is the article "The Only Way Out For Ukraine Is National Reconciliation Not Political Persecution", marked as "sponsored content" on the website "International Policy Digest" (not registered as media), from January 4, 2019. Russian State agency RIA Novosti resumed the piece on January 6, 2019. RIA Novosti provides hyperlink to "International policy Digest" in its publication.
RIA Novosti says: "In particular, the senators said that Ukraine had become an unsolvable problem for the United States and the European Union". But there is no such quotation in the original reporting by "International Policy Digest".
"International Policy Digest", referring to "our source who wishes not to be named", announces: "Today, Ukraine is an ally of both the U.S. and the EU, but it is also a failed state at war with Russia and with itself.[...] The courts, which are controlled by these politicians and oligarchs, and, are not truly independent, often render verdicts that advance the agenda that is motivated by efforts to eliminate political opponents rather than advance interests of justice or welfare of the Ukrainian people. The current trial of the former president, Victor Yanukovych, is an example of such extra-legal execution. [...] According to open source and our contacts in the Republican Party, the Trump administration is concerned about growing political persecutions in Ukraine in light of upcoming presidential elections there. [...] Getting Yanukovych involved can be an effective option in reaching a peaceful settlement salvaging Ukraine’s national identity."
No official statements on Ukraine as "unsolvable problem", "failed state" or about political prosecution of Victor Yanukovich were formulated by any US senators.
Background:
The European Union supports Ukraine in ensuring a stable, prosperous and democratic future for all its citizens. The EU is unwavering in its support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty and sees the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the basis for a sustainable, political solution to the conflict in the east of the country. Since spring 2014, the EU has stepped up its support for economic and political reforms in Ukraine.
The European Union took the outrageous decision to include a number of Russian citizens on illegal sanction lists. The lists now include Russian border guards involved in the suppression of the provocative actions by the Ukrainian special forces (in the Kerch Strait incident) .
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Ukraine violating Russian territorial integrity in the Sea of Azov.
The EU imposed sanctions against the Russian individuals involved in the conflict adding them to the list of people and entities who have been hit with sanctions for undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Lithuania’s allegation about insufficient security of the Belarusian nuclear power plant are ungrounded. Lithuania opposes the Belarusian nuclear power plant in Astravets on the orders of Sweden and Finland.
Conspiracy theory. On 20 April 2017, the Lithuanian parliament passed a bill imposing a ban on import of electricity from Belarus' nuclear power plant in Astravets. This position is based on security concerns rather than orders by Sweden or Finland.
Lithuania's grids are still synchronised with Russia and Belarus. The Baltic states agreed to become a part of continental Europe's energy system by 2025.
New democratic rules regarding “the three tours of voting” during the 2004 presidential elections in Ukraine, together with the so-called Orange Revolution and the victory of Viktor Yushchenko [in the presidential elections] are proof that the US made another step to marginalise Russia on the international arena and engaged in conflicts near Russian borders.
Conspiracy theory. No evidence given for the US behind the orange revolution.
Ukraine’s Orange Revolution of 2005 was sparked by the election fraud. Nonpartisan exit polls during the 2004 presidential election had given Viktor Yushchenko a commanding lead, with 52 percent of the votes, compared to Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich's 43 percent. Yet when the official results came in, Yanukovich had supposedly beaten the challenger by 2.5 percent.
