In order to strengthen international relations and spread conservative principles globally, Heritage experts continue to build strong relationships with foreign leaders.

Last Wednesday, President Peter Poroshenko of Ukraine visited Heritage for a private breakfast and briefing with Heritage leadership and top policy experts. Heritage was the only think tank that President Poroshenko visited during his trip to Washington DC.  His visit comes after a successful trip by a delegation of Heritage experts to Ukraine last week. 

During his visit President Poroshenko praised the work of Heritage in these four main areas:

• Heritage’s advocacy for providing Ukraine with defensive weapons.
• Heritage’s advocacy for continuing and expanding economic sanctions against Russia over its illegal occupation of Crimea.
• Heritage’s advocacy for a creation of a NATO Center of Excellence for Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine.
• And the important role Heritage’s news organization, the Daily Signal, is playing to get the real story out about what is happening in Ukraine, what Russia’s aggression is really like, and what young Ukrainians are fighting and dying for.

Heritage has been very vocal in calling for a meeting between President Trump and President Poroshenko. According to a Heritage report released last Friday, such a meeting would be crucial to demonstrate the U.S.’s support of Ukraine.

Russia and many of America’s European allies will be watching President Poroshenko’s visit very closely. A meeting between President Trump and President Poroshenko would send a clear message of strength and U.S. commitment to Ukraine. While Ukraine’s future rests primarily on the shoulders of the Ukrainians themselves, U.S. leadership is vital to counteracting Russian aggression and supporting reform in the country.

At the last minute, President Poroshenko was able to attend a meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office during his visit to the United States.