Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing – 24 March 2015, 7 PM Kyiv time

Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing

24 March 2015, 7 PM Kyiv time

1. Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported at 12:30 PM Kyiv time that Kremlin-backed terrorists continued attempts to take Shyrokine (near Mariupol), attacking there yesterday. The attacks were repelled. In addition to firing on Ukrainian positions with small arms and mortars, Kremlin-backed terrorists shelled Ukrainian positions once with artillery and three times with tanks yesterday. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours, one Ukrainian soldier was killed and eight were wounded.

2. US House of Representatives urges President to provide defensive weapons to Ukraine

On 23 March, the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 162, Calling on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Resolution states, “The House of Representatives strongly urges the President to fully and immediately exercise the  authorities provided by Congress to provide Ukraine with  lethal defensive weapon systems to enhance the ability of  the people of Ukraine to defend their sovereign territory  from the unprovoked and continuing aggression of the Russian Federation.” A full text of the draft resolution is available athttp://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20150323/MAS_087_xml.pdf. The Resolution’s sponsor, E. Engel (D-NY), stated, “The United States is not being asked to send ground troops to Ukraine. The United States is not being asked to get itself involved in another war. We are simply being asked to give the Ukrainians the methods to defend themselves. The weapons to defend themselves. […] The President signed it into law, authorizing an array of assistance, including the defensive arms Ukraine so desperately needs. And here we are again to renew this call, to remind the people of Ukraine that they are not alone, and to send an unambiguous message to the Administration, to the President, and to our allies in Europe: the time has come to do more. We must meet this threat together because we all have a stake in how this ends.”

3. Ukraine Ministry of Agrarian Policy: OPIC ready to invest up to $250 million per project in Ukraine

On 23 March, Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food  stated that the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is ready to invest up to $250 million per project in Ukraine; the number of projects is not limited. The Ministry stated that this agreement was reached on 23 March at a meeting of Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy O. Pavlenko and K. Saleh, the Senior Advisor to the President of OPIC. OPIC “is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds.”

4. US State Department: Increasing disparity between what Russia and separatists say and do

On 23 March, US State Department spokesperson M. Harf stated, “We continue to see an increasing disparity between what Russia and the separatists say and what they do. This disparity threatens the Minsk agreements and stability in the region. Russia and the separatists claim to be honoring the ceasefire, but in reality they are violating it on a regular basis and are encroaching further beyond the ceasefire line […] Russia and the separatists it backs will face increasing costs if they do not implement their Minsk commitments.”