VOA标准英语2014--乌克兰总统访问美国以寻求更大支持

 

Ukrainian Leader to Seek Greater US Support on Visit 乌克兰总统访问美国以寻求更大支持

WASHINGTON—

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visits Washington this week amid a shaky cease-fire with Russian-backed separatists, the ratification¹ of an EU pact², and moves to grant self-rule to eastern Ukraine. As he tackles a range of challenges, the Ukrainian leader is expected to press for greater U.S. support during talks Thursday with President Barack Obama at the White House.

Taxed and tired, out-manned and out-gunned -- Ukrainian forces for months have struggled to beat back heavily-armed Russian-backed rebels, who show no signs of ending the violence despite the September 5 cease-fire deal.

Though President Barack Obama has pledged full U.S. commitment to Ukraine throughout the conflict, he has not wavered in his perception that a lasting³ settlement will not be achieved by force.

"I think it is very important to recognize that a military solution to this problem is not going to be forthcoming," said Obama.

During his visit to the White House Thursday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is expected to press for additional military support, including ammunition⁴ and small arms.

So far, the United States has pledged some $70 million in aid to Ukraine in the form of body armor, communications equipment and rations⁵.

But instead of lethal⁶ aid, President Obama has imposed sanctions against Russia --- the latest announced last week -- to "increase Russia's political isolation⁷ as well as economic costs" to the country.

"They are not the same as boots on the ground. They are not the same as a military response, and they haven't necessarily stopped Putin from doing what he wants to do from a geostrategic standpoint. But at this stage, when we are at a cease-fire/pseudo-stalemate, the sanctions are beginning to bite," said the Washington-based Wilson Center’s William Pomeranz.

But, Pomeranz added, if President Poroshenko is looking for more from the U.S. and the EU, he may end up disappointed -- particularly when it comes to financial aid to rebuild his war-torn country, which already faced deep-rooted corruption⁸ and other economic problems before the conflict began. 

"The U.S. simply does not have the resources and is not willing to provide the extra resources to Ukraine in this crisis. So on top of all the difficulty that Ukraine faces, it also now realizes that it pretty much will have to go this crisis alone," said Pomeranz.

Experts say that with the fight against the Islamic State militants⁹ now at the forefront of the Obama administration's foreign policy, it is unclear how much more attention the United States will be able to give Ukraine over the long term.

1 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

2 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

3 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

4 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

5 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

6 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

7 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。