U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has described the October 26 parliamentary elections in Ukraine as a democratic process that strengthens the unity of the country and contributes to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
He said this in a statement released on Monday, Ukrinform’s correspondent in Washington reported.
“We applaud Ukraine’s commitment to an inclusive and transparent political process that strengthens national unity. This commitment is essential to resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the country’s other challenges,” Kerry said.
He said that the Ukrainian government’s efforts to encourage voter participation deserve great credit, especially in Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. In this regard, he said that hard work had been done in Ukraine to provide for alternate voting arrangements, including for internally displaced persons, despite “actions by Russian authorities occupying Crimea and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine to prevent voters from exercising their democratic rights.”
Kerry also said that the United States stands ready to work with Ukraine’s president, new government, and the Verkhovna Rada to continue to promote reform and an accountable judiciary to fight corruption, pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the east, and oppose the occupation of Crimea.
Top stories
Not only Russia. How populists destroy the greatness of the West Wednesday, October 4, 2023 - 06:27 (EEST)
-
