
U.S. Department of State calls leaked record of phone talk, allegedly between Nuland and Pyatt, Moscow's provocation
KYIV, February 7 /Ukrinform/. The release of a scandalous record of a telephone conversation between persons whose voices are similar to U.S. Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, according to Washington officials, is associated with the activities of the Russian side.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki has said this at a press briefing on Thursday, Ukrinform's Washington-based Ukrinform reporter said.
“Well, certainly we think this is a new low in Russian tradecraft in terms of publicizing, posting. I don't have any other independent details about the origin of the YouTube video. You're right. This has clearly happened overnight and is relatively new. But this is something they've been actively promoting, posting on, tweeting about, and certainly that we feel that represents a new low,” Psaki noted.
She said US works incredibly closely with the EU and with representatives of the EU, and Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland certainly does as it relates to Ukraine. “And she's been in close contact with EU High Representative Ashton. Also, let me convey that she has been in contact with her EU counterparts, and of course, has apologized,” Psaki said.
Also, the U.S. Department of State spokeswoman noted that it is no secret that ambassador Pyatt and assistant secretary Nuland have been working with the government of Ukraine, with the opposition, with business and civil society leaders to support their efforts. “It shouldn't be a surprise that at any points there have been discussions about recent events and offers and what is happening on the ground," she added.
Psaki also said "these things are being discussed. It doesn't change the fact that it's up to the people on the ground. It is up to the people of Ukraine to determine what the path forward is."
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Jay Carney has also commented on the matter: "I would say that since the video was first noted and tweeted out by the Russian government, I think it says something about Russia's role," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
The YouTube video was posted February 4 and is titled the "Marionettes of Maidan" in Russian. Conversation in English goes with Russian subtitles in red and images of Ukrainian opposition members in a negative light. And instead of Vitali Klitschko the video for some reason used a picture of his brother Vladimir.
The text of the conversation, among other things, deals with options for participation of opposition leaders in the new Ukrainian government. At a certain moment there is phrase in the call articulated in vulgar form that the position of the EU in this process should be ignored.
Later Russian sources distributed reports that it was the Security Service of Ukraine that had posted the record to the Internet.
On Friday Nuland is scheduled to hold a press conference for journalists in Kyiv. Obviously, she would have to talk not only on the outcome of her visit to Ukraine, but also on the scandalous record.
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