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F*** the EU: Senior US diplomat makes her position clear in bugged conversation with Ukraine envoy F*** the EU: Senior US diplomat makes her position clear in bugged conversation with Ukraine envoy
(35 minutes later)
A senior US diplomat has allegedly been caught saying “f*** the EU” over its position on Ukraine on an apparently bugged telephone conversation. A senior US diplomat has apologised after having allegedly been caught declaring “f*** the EU” over its position on Ukraine during an apparently bugged telephone conversation.
After tape of the conversation – said to be between the top US diplomat for Europe, Victoria Nuland, and the US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt – was published on YouTube, the US suggested Russia may have been involved in the hacking of the call. The US has suggested Russia may have been involved in hacking of the call after a tape of the alleged conversation between the top US diplomat for Europe, Victoria Nuland, and the US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt was made public via YouTube.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that if the Russians were responsible for listening to, recording and posting a private diplomatic telephone conversation, it would be “a new low in Russian tradecraft”.State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that if the Russians were responsible for listening to, recording and posting a private diplomatic telephone conversation, it would be “a new low in Russian tradecraft”.
US officials noted that an aide to Russian deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, was among the first to tweet about the YouTube video, which is subtitled in Russian. When asked if the call was authentic, Ms Psaki would not directly confirm it was Ms Nuland's voice but said: “I didn't say it was inauthentic.”
She said Mrs Nuland “has been in contact with her EU counterparts and of course has apologised for these reported comments”.
US officials noted that an aide to Russian deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, was among the first to tweet about the YouTube video, which has Russian subtitles.
In the audio, voices resembling those of Mrs Nuland and Mr Pyatt discuss international efforts to resolve Ukraine's ongoing political crisis.In the audio, voices resembling those of Mrs Nuland and Mr Pyatt discuss international efforts to resolve Ukraine's ongoing political crisis.
At one point, the voice that sounds like Mrs Nuland’s suggests that the EU's position should be ignored. “F*** the EU,” she says. At one point, the voice that sounds like Mrs Nuland’s suggests that the EU's position should be ignored after she tells Mr Pyatt that Ban Ki-Moonis going to appoint Robert Serry, the former Dutch ambassador to Kiev as his representative in Ukraine. “That would be great I think to help glue this thing and have the UN glue it and you know, F*** the EU,” the voice says.
In a tweet, posted some seven hours before existence of the video became widely known on Thursday, the Rogozin aide, Dmitry Loskutov, said: “Sort of controversial judgment from Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland speaking about the EU.” In a tweet, posted seven hours before the video's existence became widely known on Thursday, the Rogozin aide, Dmitry Loskutov, suggested the conversation was “sort of controversial judgment from Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland speaking about the EU.”
White House spokesman Jay Carney pointed to the tweet and Russia's clear interest in what has become a struggle between pro-Moscow and pro-Western camps in the former Soviet Republic, but declined to comment on the source of the audio. White House spokesman Jay Carney pointed to the tweet and Russia's apparent interest in what has become a struggle between pro-Moscow and pro-Western camps in the former Soviet Republic, but did not comment on the source of the audio or the substance of the conversation.
“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,” Mr Carney said. He would not comment on the substance of the conversation. “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,” Mr Carney said.
A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the audio sounded like an authentic recording of a call that occurred last week.A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the audio sounded like an authentic recording of a call that occurred last week.
Pressed on whether the call was authentic, Ms Psaki said: “I didn't say it was inauthentic.”
She said Mrs Nuland “has been in contact with her EU counterparts and of course has apologized for these reported comments”.
The YouTube video was posted on 4 February and is titled the “ Marionettes of Maidan” in Russian.The YouTube video was posted on 4 February and is titled the “ Marionettes of Maidan” in Russian.
Maidan is the name of the main square in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, which has become the centre of opposition protests. It contains Russian-language subtitling of the conversation, raising suspicions that it was posted by a Russia-friendly source. Maidan is the name of the main square in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, which has become the centre of opposition protests against the Ukraine government following its decision to strengthen ties with Russia over a political and trade deal with the European Union. It contains Russian-language subtitling of the conversation, raising suspicions that it was posted by a Russia-friendly source.
The practice of eavesdropping on the phone calls of other governments - even between allies - was the first diplomatic fallout from the publication of documents taken by former National Security Agency analyst Edward Snowden. The documents he took showed that the United States listened in to the phone calls of allies such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Mrs Merkel was outraged and part of the US response was that such practice is common on both sides around the world.The practice of eavesdropping on the phone calls of other governments - even between allies - was the first diplomatic fallout from the publication of documents taken by former National Security Agency analyst Edward Snowden. The documents he took showed that the United States listened in to the phone calls of allies such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Mrs Merkel was outraged and part of the US response was that such practice is common on both sides around the world.
AP Additional reporting by Associated Press