DISINFO: Ukraine is ruled by US and NATO
SUMMARY
Now the Americans command what Ukraine should do, but Ukraine does not want to understand this. Its Avakov [minister of internal affairs of Ukraine] goes there for instructions, and everyone else. Zelenskyy waits to shake the hand, but the NATO Secretary-General does not even notice him. He came to Kyiv as a boss, said everything needed, and Zelenskyy had to ask for permission to speak.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative, challenging Ukrainian statehood. For example, pro-Kremlin media has claimed that Ukraine has become a vassal of Germany and Ukraine is under US control. Ukraine is a sovereign state. Neither the US nor NATO controls Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by most of the free world but were violated by Russia in 2014. The relations between the US and Ukraine are bilateral relations between two independent countries. The US recognised Ukraine as an independent state on 25 December 1991. US policy is centred on realising and strengthening a stable, democratic, prosperous, and free Ukraine, more closely integrated into Europe and Euro-Atlantic structures. Ukraine is one of the strategic partners of NATO. The Alliance respects Ukrainian sovereignty and independence and works closely with the Ukrainian authorities in particular in the framework of NATO-Ukraine commission, Joint working group on defence reform, and other ongoing programs. In late October 2019, the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission was held in Kyiv. The parties discussed the security situation in and around Ukraine, the reform process within the country, as well as progress in the NATO-Ukraine partnership. NATO Secretary-General underlined NATO's continuing support to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.