'..the West’s best option is to redouble its support for a sovereign, prosperous and democratic Ukraine.'<blockquote>'The West should also convene an international donors conference to create a “Donbass Development Fund” for reconstruction in eastern Ukraine after the war. The mere creation of such a fund would help change the negative image of the West in the region, as would new scholarships and internship programs.
And the West must continue to support economic and political reforms in Ukraine. President Petro O. Poroshenko has emphasized that Russian aggression cannot be used as an excuse to delay things like budget restructuring and efforts to improve government transparency. But he and his government need more financial and technical assistance from Western governments, international institutions and nongovernmental organizations. Ensuring maximum participation and a free vote in the next parliamentary election must be a top priority.
..
Finally, Western leaders must continue to encourage Kiev to engage with legitimate representatives (not the Russian mercenaries) of eastern Ukraine to craft a plan for reconciliation.
..
Mr. Putin could end this war now. In a speech on national television, he could praise the so-called rebels for securing greater autonomy for eastern Ukraine and then ask them to stop fighting, and for the Russian citizens to come home. This path to peace is quick, but unlikely. In its absence, the West’s best option is to redouble its support for a sovereign, prosperous and democratic Ukraine.'
- Michael A. McFaul,
'Non-Western actors who value international norms should engage as well.', August 6, 2014</blockquote>
'..the ministry of economic development and trade, new chief Pavlo Sheremeta said graft is "a cancer that’s eating the country from inside."..'<blockquote>'Officials in the new government of President Petro Poroshenko have taken steps to try to deter corruption. These include a plan announced this week to slash the size of government and increase the salaries of civil servants.
In the meantime, at the ministry of economic development and trade, new chief Pavlo Sheremeta said graft is "a cancer that’s eating the country from inside." Some of his reform efforts have met resistance.'
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Special Report: How scams and shakedowns brought Ukraine to its knees, August 7, 2014</blockquote>
'The downing of a Malaysian airliner on July 17 was a tragic consequence of Russia's "reckless" policy of supporting the separatists and seeking to de-stabilize Ukraine, he said.'<blockquote>'NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday called on Russia to pull its troops back from the border with Ukraine and "step back from the brink."
Rasmussen, speaking in Kyiv after NATO said on Wednesday that Russia had amassed 20,000 troops near the border and could be planning a ground invasion of its neighbour, said Russia "should not use peace-keeping as an excuse for war-making."
The downing of a Malaysian airliner on July 17 was a tragic consequence of Russia's "reckless" policy of supporting the separatists and seeking to de-stabilize Ukraine, he said.'
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Ukraine conflict: Russia must 'step back from the brink,' NATO chief says, August 7, 2014</blockquote>
Context<blockquote>
Ukraine - '..it is corruption, above all, that Mr Poroshenko and (after the parliamentary election) a new government must tackle..'..organizations with freedom- and responsibility-based environments..''..Vladimir Putin has “never admitted a single error” and “never made a single step backward”..'</blockquote>