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Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Karen Donfried will visit Moscow and Kiev next week. Then she intends to visit Brussels, where she will discuss with representatives of the EU and NATO options for a diplomatic settlement of the situation on the border of Ukraine.
Donfrid will visit Moscow and Kiev on December 13-15, and will arrive in Brussels on December 15-16.
The Associated Press agency suggested that in this way the administration of the American president wants to increase pressure on Russia. Sources suggest that Karen Donfried is unlikely to discuss specific consequences for Russia in the event of an escalation of the situation around Ukraine. Perhaps she will again warn Moscow against using energy exports as a political weapon.
Donfrid was part of the delegation that visited Moscow together with CIA Director William Burns. She then flew to Ukraine, where she informed Kiev that the White House messages had been “effectively” transmitted to the Kremlin.
A day after Burns and Donfrid’s visit to Moscow, Ukraine announced tens of thousands of Russian servicemen who are allegedly on the border of the republic.
Donfried has previously stated that Russia can and should provide additional gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine. Moscow does not need Nord Stream-2 for this, Kiev has sufficient capacity.
“If Russia does not do this, it is obvious that it will damage European energy security and raise the question of what Russia’s motives are for stopping these supplies,” the Deputy Secretary of State said.