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US Deputy Secretary of State Europe and Eurasia Karen Donfried will visit Moscow and Kiev next week. He then intends to visit Brussels, where EU and NATO representatives will discuss options for a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Ukrainian border.
Donfried will visit Moscow and Kiev on December 13-15, and will fly to Brussels on December 15-16
The Associated Press has suggested that in this way the US President's administration wants to increase pressure on Russia. Sources suggest that Karen Donfried is unlikely to discuss the specific implications for Russia if the situation around Ukraine worsens. He may once again warn Moscow against using energy exports as a political weapon.
Donfried was part of a delegation that visited Moscow with CIA Director William Burns. She then flew to Ukraine, where she informed Kiev that White House reports had been “effectively” passed on to the Kremlin.
The day after Burns and Donfried's visit to Moscow, Ukraine reported tens of thousands of Russian troops reportedly in the border republic.
Donfried has previously stated that Russia can and should secure additional gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine. Moscow does not need Nord Stream 2, Kiev has sufficient capacity.
“If Russia does not do so, it is clear that it will damage European energy security and raise the question of Russia's motives for stopping these supplies,” said the Deputy Foreign Minister.