WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, was in Kiev, Ukraine on March 20^th as part of an ongoing Intelligence Committee delegation visit focused on national security.

In Kiev, Senator King met with the U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt and top U.S. and Ukrainian security officials to discuss the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country as well as steps to continue to build on the United States’ important relationship with the government in Kiev.

Since the February 2014 collapse of the Russian-supported government in Ukraine, the country has faced a serious security challenge in the east from Russia and Russian-backed separatists, which culminated when Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea region and annexed it in March 2014.  A cease-fire agreement was signed in late 2014, but implementation has been uneven and continued hostilities have left more than 9,000 people dead and nearly 21,000 injured, according to the United Nations.

Senator King’s visit to Ukraine follows a trip to Poland where he discussed national security with Polish officials. The delegation trip remains ongoing and further information will be released when possible.

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