Before heading to Maryland in an attempt to sell "Bidenomics" to the American people Thursday afternoon, President Joe Biden announced a new special representative to rebuild the Ukrainian economy.
"Today, I am proud to announce that I am appointing Penny Pritzker to serve as the new U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery," Biden released in a statement. "As an accomplished public servant, former Secretary of Commerce, and transformative industry leader—with deep familial ties to Ukraine—Special Representative Pritzker brings decades of experience and expertise to this critical position. Working in lockstep with the Ukrainian government, our allies and partners, international financial institutions, and the private sector, she will drive the United States’ efforts to help rebuild the Ukrainian economy. This includes mobilizing public and private investment, shaping donor priorities, and working to open export markets and businesses shut down by Russia’s brutal attacks and destruction."
He then reiterated the U.S. commitment to funding Ukraine's defense and economy for "as long as it takes."
"As we take this next step to help Ukraine forge a stronger future, we remain steadfastly committed to helping it defend its freedom today. The brave people of Ukraine have inspired the world with their resilience and resolve, and as this announcement reaffirms, the United States remains committed to stand with them, for as long as it takes," he continued.
Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise trip the country and promoted Biden's climate change agenda.
.@SecBlinken: Americans will "invest more than $520 million" to make Ukraine’s energy infrastructure "cleaner, more resilient" pic.twitter.com/s9SAamq9CU
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 6, 2023
The U.S. has sent more than $75 billion to Ukraine since January 2022. As the war drags on, questions about corruption and unaccounted for funds are becoming increasingly pressing.
The removal of Ukraine’s minister of defense after a flurry of reports of graft and financial mismanagement in his department underscores a pivotal challenge for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s wartime leadership: stamping out the corruption that had been widespread in Ukraine for years.
Official corruption was a topic that had been mostly taboo throughout the first year of the war, as Ukrainians rallied around their government in a fight for national survival. But Mr. Zelensky’s announcement Sunday night that he was replacing the defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, elevated the issue to the highest level of Ukrainian politics.
It comes at a pivotal moment in the war, as Ukraine prosecutes a counteroffensive in the country’s south and east that relies heavily on Western allies for military assistance. These allies have, since the beginning of the war, pressured Mr. Zelensky’s government to ensure that Ukrainian officials were not siphoning off some of the billions of dollars in aid that was flowing into Kyiv."