Leonid Kravchuk Meets George H. W. Bush

Leonid Kravchuk met George H. W. Bush in Washington on 6 May 1992, the first meeting between an American president and the elected president of an independent Ukraine. The United States had recognized Ukrainian independence in December and opened its embassy in Kyiv in January. [2] [1]

Ukraine intended to move toward a market economy, and Washington offered technical help with food distribution and converting military industry to civilian production. A trade agreement and investment insurance were meant to draw American firms into the new relationship. The presidents also committed themselves to respect for minority rights and the rule of law. [2]

Nuclear weapons left by the Soviet Union’s collapse gave the talks an immediate security dimension. Ukraine reaffirmed its intention to remove tactical nuclear weapons and join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a state without nuclear arms. The presidents linked lower armaments to respect for borders and the peaceful settlement of disputes, while the practical terms of disarmament remained to be completed. [2]

Related Diplomats

1. Oleh Bilorus [3]

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• Ukraine and the United States