US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday expressed the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine after he met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev.
"Today I'm here with a clear message: the United States sees that the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, democracy and prosperity is a valiant one. Our commitment to support it will not waver," Pompeo told a press conference.
"The US understands that Ukraine is an important country," Pompeo said, in a clear reference to reports that he had told a US journalist that Americans did not care about the country.
Pompeo is the most senior US official to visit Ukraine since the start of the impeachment process against US President Donald Trump, who is accused of withholding military aid to push Kiev into investigating his Democratic rival Joe Biden.
Washington has been an important backer of Ukraine in its conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the country's east, providing both military aid and diplomatic support.
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Zelensky, who has taken a series of steps aimed at resolving the conflict since coming to power last year, said he wanted Washington to be more involved in resolving the conflict.
"I expressed the hope that the United States will be more actively involved in the peace process in eastern Ukraine," he said, calling for the US to appoint a special representative on the conflict.
Pompeo called Ukraine "a bulwark between freedom and authoritarianism in eastern Europe" and said the country was also a "growing market for US exports".
He said the US had provided more than $1 billion in security assistance to Kiev since the start of 2017, adding: "We will maintain financial support for Ukraine's security".
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