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The United States’ third-highest-ranking diplomat is set to retire.
Victoria Nuland, who serves as the U.S. State Department Under Secretary for Public Affairs, announced on Tuesday her decision to step down this month.
According to the Associated Press, Nuland has faced criticism for her assertive stance on Russia and the conflict in Ukraine.
As a career foreign service officer, Nuland has held positions in government since the 1990s, including serving at the U.S. embassy in Moscow and later as the U.S. ambassador to NATO.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appointed Nuland as spokesperson for the State Department. During the Obama administration, she assumed the role of Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, but she resigned when former President Donald Trump took office.
Nuland returned to government service when President Biden assumed office in 2021.
Speculation surrounds Nuland’s retirement, with some suggesting it may stem from President Joe Biden’s decision to overlook her for a promotion to the Deputy Secretary of State position. Seven months ago, President Biden nominated Kurt Campbell for this role, and Campbell assumed the position in February.
Nuland’s public remarks have occasionally courted controversy. Known for advocating America’s support for Ukraine’s defense, her statements have sometimes drawn ire from both the political Left in the U.S. and Russia’s globalist factions.
Upon Nuland’s transition from spokesperson to America’s leading diplomat in Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov congratulated then-Secretary of State John Kerry for “getting rid of that woman.” Kerry reportedly responded to Lavrov, stating that he didn’t remove her but rather promoted her.
Many argue that Nuland’s policies have contributed to unnecessary violence in Ukraine.
“Victoria Nuland, the third-highest ranking U.S. diplomat and frequent target of criticism for her hawkish views on Russia and its actions in Ukraine, will leave her post this month, the State Department said Tuesday.” pic.twitter.com/kGD7jrhKnq
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 5, 2024
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken commended Nuland for her decades-long dedication to public service, spanning six presidential administrations and ten secretaries of state.
Blinken remarked, “But it’s [Nuland’s] leadership on Ukraine that diplomats and students of foreign policy will study for years to come.”
He further stated, “Her contributions have been crucial in confronting Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” emphasizing Nuland’s pivotal role in rallying a global coalition to ensure Putin’s strategic failure and assisting Ukraine in its efforts to become self-sufficient in democracy, economy, and defense.
WINNING: Victoria Nuland has resigned. This woman has so much Ukrainian blood on her hands it is unimaginable. pic.twitter.com/waqq83lcsV
— @amuse (@amuse) March 5, 2024
Nuland’s swift replacement with John Bass, a former ambassador who managed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, has stirred discontent among conservative lawmakers in the United States.
