JCIC-DIP-09-007: U.S. RESPONSE TO UKRAINIAN

S E C R E T KYIV 001470 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2019 TAGS: KACT PARM UP SUBJECT: JCIC-DIP-09-007: U.S. RESPONSE TO UKRAINIAN NON-PAPER ON UKRAINE'S POSITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXPIRATION OF THE START TREATY REF: SECSTATE 87998 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. James D. Pettit, Reason 1.5 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Embassy delivered reftel demarche to MFA Directorate for Arms Control and Military Technical Cooperation Counselor Olesander Bondarenko on August 28. Bondarenko welcomed the opportunity to discuss the response and replied that the U.S. response was predictable and consistent with previous assurances of U.S. commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty and security. ¶2. (S) Bondarenko went on to ask when the United States would open bilateral consultations with Ukraine on the subject of Ukraine's participation in post-START discussions and/or security guarantees, and the concerns which Ukraine has raised on several occasions. Bondarenko delicately, but pointedly, noted that Ukraine will hold its third round of bilateral consultations with Russia on this subject on September 3, in Geneva. He said that Russia has been a willing interlocutor and easy to work with in this regard. By contrast, he said, there have been no ideas from the United States. ¶3. (S) Opining on different approaches to security guarantees and on the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Bondarenko went a bit further and said that, although Ukraine appreciates U.S. bilateral statements, the "lack of partners" standing with us to restate commitment to the Budapest Memorandum is disheartening. A multilateral statement or recommitment would be desirable and beneficial for Ukraine. He recalled in particular that France and China both signed the Memorandum, in addition to the U.S., Russia, and the U.K. Bondarenko mused that a multilateral document need not be legally binding; a political document could also be helpful. PETTIT