Washington, DC. The recent visit of Poroshenko accomplished what he wanted for Kiev. The ability to say Ukraine was “more important” than Russia to merit a “meeting” that was nothing more than a photo opportunity. The visit leaves nothing set in stone between the two nations, but does say a lot about an administration in Kiev obsessed with public perception, rather than real results in government.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met with US Vice President Mike Pence and then, briefly, enjoyed a “photo-opportunity” visit with President Donald Trump on Tuesday. This type of visit is one usally set up by making a donation to the election fund of an office holder. The Parvo Klemkin photo next to Trump, reportedly cost $400,000 this spring.
Poroshenko’s brief visit appeared to be a departure for the Trump White House, which has been featuring one-on-one meetings with presidents big and small, sometimes followed by a joint press conference and certainly not relegating foreign heads of state to drop-ins. Poroshenko, though, slipped into Washington, keeping a low profile while he met with the Ukrainian diaspora because by no means is he on good terms with Trump.
The whole trip was kept very quiet, even the Ukrainian media kept it quiet. Until they knew for sure Trump would allow a pictuire of himself to be taken next to Poroshenko. This was the level of official guilt and fear in his administration. The whole affair was rushed and not planned out in advance, simply so Poroshenko could tell his own people he “beat” Putin to Trump.
Kiev does not trust Trump for rather obvious reasons and likewise the President despises the Ukrainians. He will do certain things for reasons of public relations or perception, but you can bet your life he knows every last problem he has had in office is one made in Kiev, not Moscow.
Under Obama, Kiev had an easy ride because they simply bought Biden, his son part owns an oil company in the Ukraine and Obama pushed Biden on to Poroshenko so he could deal with where the best golf courses are instead.
Th White House readout of the visit said simply, “President Donald J. Trump met today with President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine to discuss support for the peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine and President Poroshenko’s reform agenda and anticorruption efforts.”
Neither of which one Petro Poroshenko can accomplish or even would, if he could.