Former Australian PM Tony Abbott May Join Ukraine’s Reform Council

During phone talks, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko invited Australia’s former Prime Minister Tony Abbott to join Ukraine’s International Council for Reforms, according to the official website of the Ukrainian leader.

Poroshenko also thanked Abbott for the consistent and resolute support Australia has provided for Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both politicians agreed that after Poroshenko’s visit to Australia in 2014, relations between the two nations have been dynamically building.

They also noted that the agreements made during the visit laid the foundation for stable and long-term cooperation between Ukraine and Australia.
Earlier, it was reported that Poroshenko invited former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to join the board.

The Ukrainian president offered a seat in the council to US Senator John McCain, but he declined the invitation.

In April, former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius joined the council.

After Viktor Yanukovych and his government were toppled in last year’s coup, the new authorities embraced the practice of appointing non-resident specialists as the country’s senior officials and advisors.

The International Advisory Council for Reforms is headed by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, probably the most famous expatriate working for the Ukrainian authorities.

Saakashvili was also appointed as governor of the Odessa region. One of his assistants is Maria Gaidar, who was formerly a Russian opposition politician.

Among other notable non-resident officials are Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius (a Lithuanian manager and investment banker), Healthcare Minister Alexander Kvitashvili (a Georgian politician), Finance Minister Natalia Jaresko (a US businesswoman), and Deputy Interior Minister Ekaterina Zguladze (a Georgian politician).