Victoria Nuland, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, concluded an eight-day diplomatic tour with a press conference in Moscow. Her journey included stops in Sochi with Secretary Kerry for discussions with President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov, participation in the NATO ministerial meeting in Antalya, Turkey, and consultations in Kyiv with Ukrainian officials and civil society.
In Moscow, Nuland met with Deputy Foreign Ministers Ryabkov and Karasin to discuss bilateral relations and Ukraine-related issues. "Today’s consultations were very detailed, they were very pragmatic," she stated. The discussions aimed to build on conversations held between President Putin and Secretary Kerry in Sochi, focusing on supporting the Minsk Agreement's implementation process involving Ukraine, OSCE, and Russia.
Nuland highlighted efforts to secure a ceasefire along the conflict line and facilitate free elections under Ukrainian law aligned with OSCE standards. She emphasized improving humanitarian conditions in Donbas by allowing aid from both Russian and Ukrainian sides while ensuring OSCE presence along the border as required by Minsk.
"The United States’ goal here... is to support the full implementation of Minsk," Nuland reiterated. She also addressed recent developments concerning Russian military personnel captured in Ukraine: "We welcome the Ukrainian government’s public statements that they are being well taken care of."
Nuland confirmed that further steps would involve meetings of all Minsk working groups to advance security, political, economic, and humanitarian aspects. She assured continued U.S. engagement with Ukraine and coordination with Normandy powers—Germany and France—and the OSCE.
When questioned about military activity concerns conveyed to President Poroshenko, Nuland responded: "The United States’ principled position is that all sides... need to be talking about a full ceasefire." She noted no indications from her Kyiv consultations that Ukrainian leadership intended to initiate hostilities.
Concluding her remarks, Nuland underscored the importance of all parties actively participating in working groups related to Minsk implementation but clarified that the U.S. was not a direct participant at this stage.