Ukraine's politicians must seize a historic opportunity to free the country from the grip of Russia and corrupt tycoons, US vice-president Joe Biden said on Tuesday, amid rising domestic and international disquiet over the pace of the country's reform.
In a speech to parliament in Kiev, Mr Biden also vowed that Washington would keep tightening sanctions on Russia until it ended its annexation of Crimea and other aggression against Ukraine.
Mr Biden's address marked the climax of a two-day visit to Ukraine during which he urged its western-backed leaders to accelerate tough reforms, despite opposition from powerful "oligarchs", their political allies and from Moscow.
“This is your moment. This is your responsibility . . . Each of you has an obligation to answer the call of history and finally build a united, democratic Ukrainian nation that can stand the test of time,” he told parliament. “If you fail, the experiment fails. It’s no exaggeration to say the hopes of freedom-loving people the world over are with you.”
After driving the Russian-backed, graft-ridden administration of then president Viktor Yanukovich from power in February 2014, Ukraine's new leaders had a duty to build a cleaner and fairer Ukraine, Mr Biden said.
Return of oligarchs
“Oligarchs and non-oligarchs must play by the same rules,” he insisted. “We saw oligarchs ousted from power, only for them to return . . . We understand how difficult some of the votes for reforms are but they are critical for putting Ukraine back on the right path.”
Billionaires with shady business empires still dominate Ukrainian politics, and many reformist politicians and activists say the status quo is preserved by President Petro Poroshenko and the government of prime minister of Arseniy Yatsenyuk. "All of you must put aside your differences and make a real revolution of dignity," Mr Biden declared.
Unity vs resignation
While all deputies rose to applaud Mr Biden, afterwards each party offered a different interpretation of his speech, with some calling it an appeal to the government to resign, and others hailing it as a call for unity.
In an interview perhaps timed to exacerbate tension in Ukraine, Mr Yanukovich told Russian state media that he wants “to return to politics”.
“I do a lot to help people who are persecuted in Ukraine,” he said from Russia, where he and many close allies live in exile.
Mr Yanukovich said he maintains contact with current Ukrainian politicians, “many of whom aren’t so shy or scared today, compared to a year ago. They already feel very comfortable when we meet and discuss issues.”
Mr Biden also urged Kiev to fulfil its side of a strained ceasefire deal with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and made clear that “if Russian aggression persists, the cost imposed on Moscow will continue to rise”.
