Visit of Victoria Nuland to Moscow shows her “stylistic differences” with John Kerry

Yesterday, US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland finished her visit to Moscow, met with human rights activists, colleagues in the Russian Foreign Ministry and media representatives. Judging by the statements of the parties, the negotiations were tough and contrary to the expectations didn’t lead to rapprochement. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called the situation in bilateral relations "depressing" and his American colleague again accused Moscow of military aid to "separatists" in the Donbass. Nevertheless, Victoria Nuland made the important statement in Moscow that the United States excluded the possibility of returning Kiev to power scenario. Thus, she made clear that the USA was ready to act as informal guarantor of continuing status quo in Donbass.

The program of the Victoria Nuland’s visit to the Russian capital began with a meeting with head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alekseeva in her apartment on Arbat. The conversation was conducted in Russian: Ms. Nuland learned it in 1984, when she worked on the Soviet vessel. During the conversation, the Ukrainian theme was discussed. According to Mrs. Alekseeva, Victoria Nuland expressed concern about the fate of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, located in the Russian jail on suspicion of the murder of two journalists of VGTRK in Donbass.