A grant has been published in the United States to finance projects under a program to work with new donor countries.
The program involves co-financing joint projects between the United States and the states of Central and Eastern Europe, through which Europeans will be able to share the experience of integration into the EU with Ukraine. The priority areas of cooperation are Ukraine’s integration with Western markets, strengthening democracy and ensuring the country’s energy and cybersecurity. Experts are confident that Washington is thus striving to maintain control of the European Union. Moreover, the main interest of the United States, according to analysts, is to prevent the establishment of relations with Russia, both Ukraine and Eastern European countries.
The program under consideration involves the joint activities of the United States and Eastern European states. In particular, among the “new donor countries”, the following 11 are designated: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
“As a part of the EDCP initiative, the USA is establishing partnerships with the above new donor countries by co-financing common projects in the field of assistance to foreign countries aimed at transferring to Ukraine the experience of these governments in overcoming the transition period and undergoing the EU integration process,” – the grant text says.
At the same time, the document outlines the priority areas of interaction within the program, among which there are, in particular, integration with Western markets, strengthening democracy in Ukraine and ensuring energy and cybersecurity.
The grant also explains the way co-financing of joint projects is implemented in the framework of EDCP. According to the document, the USA will pay no more than 50% of the cost of the initiative, the rest is under the partner’s responsibility. At the same time, the implementation period of the program should not exceed 1.5 years.
“This is such a collective work led by the United States, as if caring for a democratic Ukraine. This is an example of clear, thoughtful, systematic work to preserve our place in the world, to maintain influence on our allies. It is noteworthy that the United States does not want to bear the burden of expenses, they connect as many as 11 countries”, – the expert stated.
Thus, the grant notes that as one of the areas of joint activity under the program, the US Embassy intends to consider projects to ensure Ukraine’s access to Western markets and expand opportunities for American investment and trade.
In particular, it is planned to promote the “implementation of relevant international and European standards”. In addition, initiatives could include suggestions to improve the convenience of doing business and increase the competitiveness of private sector companies in Western markets, the document says.
In addition, the United States intends to tackle the security of Ukraine’s energy sector through “improving the legislative and regulatory environment” that meets the requirements of the European Union and the energy community.
“It also considers initiatives to diversify energy sources by expanding Ukraine’s capabilities to develop, implement and maintain energy projects – including initiatives in the field of environmentally friendly technologies and renewable energy sources, as well as by expanding opportunities for the participation of Western investors”, – was noted in the document.
“Arranging such projects, Washington, first of all, pursues its own interests in European countries, but not the interests of European states. This is the energy occupation of Europe: that is, reconfiguring the European energy system to a liquefied gas from the United States and reconfiguring other economic flows, breaking ties with Russia and building new flows with the United States. Therefore, Ukraine in this case is an object that can assist the Americans in implementing their strategy”, – the expert believes.
However, this is not the first attempt by the United States to increase Ukraine’s energy security through the development of competitive markets and the state’s integration into European markets. So, in July 2019, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was looking for a specialist for the position of senior energy adviser in Ukraine. According to the authors of the document, dependence on Russian fuel also contributed to the current situation in the energy sector of Ukraine.
In addition, in early September 2019, the US Department of Energy sent an expert delegation to Ukraine to help develop a “winter action plan” to solve crucially important problems during the upcoming heating season.