Readout of the Vice President's Call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko

Vice President Joe Biden spoke today with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko about the Ukrainian domestic political situation, access for international investigators to the MH-17 crash site, and Russia’s continued supply of arms and supplies to the separatists.   President Poroshenko underscored that despite the dissolution of the governing coalition in Ukraine’s parliament, the government would continue its work to address critical economic reforms.  President Poroshenko updated the Vice President on his conversations with the leaders of the Netherlands, Australia, and Malaysia regarding access to the MH-17 crash site and his efforts to facilitate the conclusion of a rapid international investigation into the tragedy.  President Poroshenko also informed the Vice President that Russia continued to supply heavy weapons and equipment to the separatists, and that Ukrainian troops were increasingly coming under direct fire from positions on the Russian side of the border.  The Vice President informed Poroshenko that the United States would continue to coordinate with the European Union and the G-7 about imposing further costs on Russia for its deeply destabilizing and irresponsible actions in Ukraine.