Part 1 of THE YEAR IN REVIEW pages 5-13 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXV No. 3 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017 $2.00 Pinchuk’s tone of appeasement Chrystia Freeland is appointed toward Russia rattles Kyiv as Canada’s foreign affairs minister by Mark Raczkiewycz not be an obstacle on the way of returning Donbas.” KYIV – Victor Pinchuk, the billionaire He furthermore advocated for holding tycoon known for staging Ukraine’s pre- local elections in the Russia-occupied miere gathering of leaders and thinkers on Donbas even though there won’t be “condi- Ukraine’s European future, drew criticism tions for fair elections until Ukraine has full for suggesting that his county shelve inte- control over its territory.” gration with the continent and temporarily For years an advocate for closer ties with sacrifice Crimea in exchange for peace with the 28-nation European Union, Mr. Pinchuk’s Russia. He did so in an opinion piece pub- article came exactly three weeks before he lished in the Wall Street Journal on holds the Davos Ukrainian Breakfast at the December 29. World Economic Forum in Switzerland on On the commentary titled “Ukraine must January 19. CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria is make painful compromises for peace with scheduled to moderate a discussion on Russia,” Mr. Pinchuk, 56, said that “Ukraine Ukraine’s future in a “changing world” should give up the idea of European Union between former British Prime Minister membership,” including NATO, and that David Cameron and Ivanna Klympush- “Crimea is Ukraine, but this position should Tsintsadze, Ukraine’s vice prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration. President Petro Poroshenko won’t attend the yearly meal that Mr. Pinchuk Chrystia Freeland/Facebook hosts in Davos, online news publication Chrystia Freeland, at the time Canada’s minister of international trade, addresses the Leviy Bereg reported, citing anonymous Montreal Council on Foreign Relations on January 6. sources in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. “The president will have his own pro- by Christopher Guly the removal of MaryAnn Mihychuk as min- gram in Davos, but after the [Pinchuk] arti- Special to The Ukrainian Weekly ister of employment, workforce develop- cle, he will not go to Pinchuk,” the source ment and labor. OTTAWA – Chrystia Freeland has become told lb.ua. In an unprecedented move, Mr. Trudeau the most powerful federal government min- Mr. Poroshenko’s foreign press service also gave 48-year-old, Alberta-born Ms. ister in Canadian history following a Cabinet and Mr. Pinchuk’s eponymous charitable Freeland – only the third female Canadian shuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau foundation didn’t respond to an e-mailed foreign affairs minister in history – the on January 10. request for comment. added responsibility of maintaining the Ms. Freeland, who had served as However, Mr. Pinchuk’s tone of appease- trade portion of the Canada-U.S. file as the Canada’s international trade minister since ment, according to detractors, elicited criti- Canadian government prepares for Donald the Trudeau Liberals formed a government cism from the president’s office, among Trump’s presidential inauguration on in 2015, was promoted to foreign affairs lawmakers and foreign think tanks. January 20, effectively making the Ukrainian minister, replacing Stéphane Dion, who is Speaking of “red lines” that Ukraine Canadian former journalist second only to also a former federal leader of the Liberal won’t cross, Kostyantyn Yelisieiev, the pres- the prime minister in power and influence. Party of Canada. ident’s deputy chief of staff, equated revers- “One of the things that we’ve seen from The Cabinet shake-up – in which three ing “European and Euro-Atlantic integra- President-elect Trump is that he very much ministers were given new roles, three new tion” with surrendering “independence, takes a trade and job lens to his engage- persons were appointed as ministers, and YES sovereignty and the territorial integrity of ments with the world in international three ministers were removed – also diplomacy,” Prime Minister Trudeau told Victor Pinchuk at the 13th Yalta European Ukraine.” reduced Ukrainian Canadian representa- Strategy annual meeting in September 2016. (Continued on page 15) tion on the ministerial team by half through (Continued on page 15) European allies of U.S. warn Trump about “new grand bargain with Russia” WASHINGTON – A group of 17 decision- Ukraine, and its illegal annexation of We – decision-makers and public figures makers and public figures from countries Crimea, threaten the peace, predictability Freiberga of Latvia, former Prime Minister from across Europe – welcome your elec- across Central and Eastern Europe sent a and security that Americans and Europeans Estonia,and Foreign former Affairs President Minister CarlVaira Bildt Vīķe- of tion as America’s 45th president. We are letter on January 9 to U.S. President-elect created together through our victory in the Sweden, and former Foreign Affairs eager to work with your administration to Donald J. Trump warning him about any Cold War,” the letter-writers pointed out. sustain our powerful transatlantic Alliance, potential “new grand bargain with Russia.” “As your treaty-bound allies, we appeal to As The Washington Post noted, the letter jointly defending our way of life at a time of According to a news story in The Americans in the new U.S. Administration Ministeris similar Radosław to one sent Sikorski in 2009 of Poland. to President great peril. Washington Post, they wrote: “Have no and Congress to stand firm in the defense Barack Obama soon after he took office. Russia’s continuing efforts to destabilize doubt: Vladimir Putin is not America’s ally. of our common goals and interests: peace, That missive warned against a “reset” of Ukraine, and its illegal annexation of Neither is he a trustworthy international Atlantic strength, and freedom,” the pro- U.S.-Russia relations. Crimea, threaten the peace, predictability partner. Both of the presidents who preced- American leaders stated. Below is the full text of the “Letter to and security that Americans and Europeans ed you tried in their own ways to deal with Among the signatories is the current President-elect Donald J. Trump from created together through our victory in the Russia’s leadership in the spirit of trust and president of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, and America’s Allies.” (The letter was in a link Cold War. We are concerned that the pros- friendship. Big mistake: Putin treated their several former leaders, among them former posted by The Washington Post.) pect of a new grand bargain with Russia will good intentions as opportunities.” * * * “Russia’s continuing efforts to destabilize mer President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Dear President-elect Trump: (Continued on page 22) President Traian Băsescu of Romania, for- 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017 No. 3 ANALYSIS VP Biden headed on last trip to Kyiv Tillerson said, “I would leave things in the The illusion of a restored status quo so we are able to convey this can KYIV – U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, go either way.” In a confirmation hearing Russian superpower long the Obama administration’s point man that focused largely on Russia, the former on Ukraine, will make a farewell visit to ExxonMobil chairman and CEO told the by Vadim Shtepa English-language media. Free media are Kyiv on Sunday, January 15, it was Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Eurasia Daily Monitor independent, but in the Russian case, it is announced by the Office of President Petro Russia “poses a danger” and that U.S. allies obvious that the media are seen as an Poroshenko. The Reuters news service had a right to be alarmed about a “resur- The new Russian foreign policy concept, instrument of the state. noted that the vice-president, one of gent Russia.” Mr. Tillerson, the recipient of a signed by President Vladimir Putin, was Some of the wording in this concept Ukraine’s strongest political supporters state friendship award from President published on December 1, 2016 (Gov.ru, looks quite cynical for an unbiased observ- will fly to Ukraine “as the country looks for- December 1, 2016). It replaced the previ- er. For example, “Russia stands for compli- Vladimir Putin, added in prepared opening ward with apprehension to the new admin- remarks to lawmakers: “While Russia seeks ous concept adopted in 2013. The Russian ance with international obligations in good istration of Donald Trump.” Mr. Biden has financial website Finanz.ru candidly named faith, against interference in the internal respect and relevance on the global stage, visited Ukraine five times (his most recent its recent activities have disregarded the new foreign policy concept a “Cold War affairs of other states.” In light of Russia’s visit was in December 2015), and he main- 2014 invasion of Ukraine, where it commit- America’s interests.” The firm stance on doctrine,” because of its premise of con- tains regular phone contact with Mr. frontation with the West (Finanz.ru, ted an infringement of the 1994 Budapest Russia that Tillerson assumed during the Poroshenko. Reuters noted: “Officials in December 1, 2016). Memorandum and violated other interna- hearing appeared likely to assuage some Indeed, if in the 2013 foreign policy con- tional treaties protecting the territorial Ukraine have expressed concern that U.S. concerns among leading U.S. senators that cept Russia considered itself “an integral integrity of sovereign states, this statement support could wane following the January Tillerson could take a softer line on Russia. part of Europe,” now such language is is hypocritical at best. 20 inauguration of Trump, who has voiced However, he elicited surprise from senators excluded and replaced instead with accusa- The foreign policy concept claims that admiration for Russian President Vladimir when he said he had not had a conversa- tions of “geopolitical expansion” by the Russia “firmly opposes aggressive national- Putin and a desire to improve ties with tion with Trump about U.S.