U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is to land in Kiev today with Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland by his side. The Associated Press admitted that Nuland’s presence is “likely to irritate Russia,” given her history and orchestration of the 2014 Maidan coup, including coordination with openly neo-Nazi leaders and networks in the country. AP presented this as “Nuland’s advocacy for reform-minded, pro-Western Ukrainian politicians incurred the Kremlin’s wrath.”
Other media sources point out there will be “tension” in Blinken’s trip, because of his focus on fighting corruption and institutional reform. Money from the IMF will be dependent on Ukraine carrying out the reforms the U.S. demands, Unian press agency warns, and reporting that Blinken will demand results.
Unnamed State Department officials, briefing reporters on the G7 foreign ministers meeting in London on background yesterday, said that during the plenary session, the ministers spent an hour-and-a-half on Russia, including Ukraine and Belarus. Ukraine was also discussed in the bilateral meetings that took place on the sidelines. “[W]e’re all in agreement and stand in solidarity with Ukraine against Russian aggression,” one of the officials said.
