US names former ambassador to NATO as Ukraine crisis envoy – POLITICO.eu

Kurt Volker will take responsibility for advancing U.S. efforts to achieve the objectives set out in the Minsk agreements | Flickr via Creative Commons

The announcement comes on the eve of Rex Tillersons trip to Kiev.

By Connor Murphy

7/7/17, 7:11 PM CET

Updated 7/7/17, 7:16 PM CET

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appointed Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, as special representative to Ukraine, the State Department saidFriday.

In a statement, the department said Volker will take responsibility for advancing U.S. efforts to achieve the objectives set out in the Minsk agreements, and accompany the secretary of state on a trip to Kiev on Sunday.

Kurts wealth of experience makes him uniquely qualified to move this conflict in the direction of peace, Tillerson said. The United States remains fully committed to the objectives of the Minsk agreements, and I have complete confidence in Kurt to continue our efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine.

Secretary Tillerson appoints Ambassador Kurt Volker as the U.S. Special Representative for #Ukraine Negotiations. https://t.co/p5H2uRVtdq

Department of State (@StateDept) July 7, 2017

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and has been accused of supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine since April 2014, according to theUnited Nations, though Moscow denies direct involvement.

Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia brokered a package of measures in Minsk in 2015 intended to end the conflict, but thisfailed to stop the fighting.

Volker is a career diplomat who served as the U.S. envoy to NATO under both the Bush and Obama administrations.

He is currently an expert in U.S. foreign and national security policy atthe McCain Institute,an American think tank affiliated with Senator John McCain and Arizona State University.

Tillreson will make his first official visit to Kiev following the G20 summit in Hamburg. The U.S. secretary of state will meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday and reaffirm Americas commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, the State Department said.

Secretary Tillerson will focus on two core pillars while in #Ukraine: sovereignty and supporting reform efforts.

Heather Nauert (@statedeptspox) July 5, 2017

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the North Atlantic Council areholding a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Kiev on July 9-10.

The appointment comes as the administrations views toward Russia remain in flux. Speaking yesterday in Warsaw, Trump sent mixed signals on his Russia policy. He reaffirmed Americas commitment to NATOs mutual defense provisions and the importance of Eastern Europe to his administration.

And Trump discussedre-energizing implementation of the Minsk agreements in a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday in Hamburg.

But in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Trump told the Russian leader its an honor to be with you. He added: But we look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia, for the United States and for everybody concerned, and Its an honor to be with you.

It was unclear if Trump and Putin discussed the crisis in Ukraine in their much anticipated bilateral meeting, which lasted for almost two and a half hours (it was scheduled to last for 30 minutes).

In June the U.S. Senate voted 98-2 for new sanctions on Iran and Russia, including fresh powers for Congress to block Trump from rolling back any penalties against Vladimir Putins government, but the legislation has been blocked in the House of Representatives.

EU leaders extended sanctions against Russia through January 2018 after Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron updated the European Council on the lack of progress in implementing the Minsk agreements. The EU initially imposed sanctions against Russia in 2014 after its annexation of Crimea.

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US names former ambassador to NATO as Ukraine crisis envoy - POLITICO.eu