U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (l) shakes hands with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Kiev, Ukraine, on Nov. 21, 2014. (UPI/Government of Ukraine)
KIEV, Ukraine, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Vice President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Kiev on Friday.
Prior to the meeting, Biden was expected to join President Petro Poroshenko at a wreath-laying ceremony Friday morning near Independence Square but an unruly crowd, angered by the president's failure to prosecute those responsible for deaths during the revolution, forced the motorcade to turn around. The motorcade stopped briefly during its exit so that Biden could step out to greet the president before departing.
A U.S. administration official accompanying the vice president's delegation said Thursday that Biden's agenda includes pushing Ukraine's leaders to form a government, a move necessary for Ukraine's economic vitality.
"The Ukrainians had a very successful election. ... But the government hasn't been formed yet. And I think that the international community, financial markets, international institutions, everybody is going to be looking at the government being formed...
"We believe that President Poroshenko wants to do this. ... But we need to be able to make the case to the international community that the government is committed to a reform trajectory such that its financial aid will go in a direction to actually make things better."
During Biden's meeting with Yatsenyuk at the Cabinet of Ministers Club, the prime minister informed Biden that a government coalition agreement was in the works, a development Biden said was encouraging.
"For the whole world, it is important to see that you have completed this process, appointed all ministers and proceeded to business. And demonstrated that what people wanted on the Maidan is a freely elected Government that does its job."
"You have already made significant steps in the fight against corruption, trying to stabilize the economy in this very difficult position," Biden told Yatsenyuk, adding "We want to help."
Biden's trip is intended to deliver two messages, the senior U.S. administration official said Thursday.
"The No. 1 message is: We've got your back. Because we know that it's a trying -- we know that it's a hard time. It's a hard time because of the military, economic and other activities. ... But the other message is we're coming in to help, but we can't do it alone. And so you have to have to help us help you."
