Nuland confident U.S. Congress will vote to approve further aid to Ukraine

MOSCOW. Feb 1 (Interfax) - U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland is confident that the U.S. Congress will vote to approve further aid to Ukraine.

She said this at a press briefing in Kiev on Wednesday evening, Ukrainian media reported.

Bipartisan support for Ukraine remains strong in the United States, Nuland said. At the same time, she reiterated the U.S. intention to provide Ukraine with Small-Diameter Bombs in the near future.

The U.S. is also making efforts with Ukraine to foster a climate for international investment and to continue building Ukrainian institutions to counter corruption and push out the shadow economy so that companies will be able to come to the country and invest in it, Nuland said.

Nuland met with Ukraine's military and political leadership in Kiev, Ukrainian media reported. "We coordinated our work ahead of the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform meeting to be held in February. We are working closely with the U.S. and IFIs to obtain the necessary financial support," Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal was quoted by the media as saying on social media following the meeting.

The parties discussed the implementation of reforms, in particular, anti-corruption and corporate reforms, he said.

It is reported that Nuland also met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Andrei Yermak.

"On behalf of the Ukrainian president, Yermak thanked for the defense and economic assistance provided by the United States and noted that continued comprehensive support is critical for Ukraine," the Ukrainian Presidential Office's press service said.