That could apply to just about any leader, and it's in juxtaposition to the rest of the sentence, which mentions what could happen with "an honest and accountable Ukraine leadership".
Perhaps I am projecting, but I do not find the phrasing accidental, particularly when she then goes on to say:
It seems obvious, but bears stating, that when dealing with officials from any country—or those claiming connections to officialdom—one must understand their background, their personal interests, and what they hope to get out of a particular interaction before deciding how to evaluate their description of events or acting on their information.
Our efforts were intended, and evidently succeeded, in thwarting corrupt interests in Ukraine, who fought back by selling baseless conspiracy theories to anyone who would listen. Sadly, someone was listening, and our nation is the worse off for that.
