Victoria's Secrets

Victoria Nuland, an American diplomat, announced her forthcoming resignation last week as Under Secretary for Political Affairs. Working for a number of US administrations, she leaves behind a lasting impact on American foreign policy, particularly in relation to Ukraine.
A former US Ambassador to NATO and State Department Spokesperson she has undoubtedly been a key player in Washington for many years, working alongside George W Bush, Barack Obama and current president Joe Biden.

One of the most significant accusations against Victoria Nuland is her alleged involvement in the 2014 Ukraine coup. Nuland visited Kyiv in December of 2013 during a time of civil unrest which became known as the Maidan Uprising, named after the square which was the centre point for the protests. She visited the protestor's camp and was seen distributing food to demonstrators.
The ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych, sparked a series of events that led to the Russian invasion of the sovereign country. While many dismiss the war as entirely down to Russian hyper-aggression, critics have argued that Nuland played a pivotal role in orchestrating the coup.
Many also support the Russian assertion that the steady expansion of Nato towards its borders has been a deliberate provocation and is the single biggest cause of the war.

A leaked phone call from January 2014, the month before the Russian invasion, was released on Youtube and featured Nuland and the US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, discussing the suitability of candidates for the future position of Prime Minister and expressing frustration with the EU's approach to a resolution.

Link to the leaked audio recording, allegedly between V.Nuland & G.Pyatt

Victoria Nuland has consistently denied any wrongdoing and defended her actions as being in line with American interests and values. Although she has emphasised her commitment to promoting democracy and supporting the aspirations of the Ukrainian people, some critics have accused her of being a "Liberal Hawk" showing indifference to the large number of casualties in the war.

A speech in February 2024 drew further criticism when she appeared to define the war as successful, at least for the people of the US:

"Without sending a single U.S. soldier into combat, and investing less than one tenth of one year’s defence budget, we have helped Ukraine destroy 50% of Russia’s ground combat power and 20% of its vaunted Black Sea Fleet... By every measure, Ukraine’s bravery and strength, its resilience, have made the United States safer too."

As Victoria Nuland leaves the 4th highest position in the US State Department, her name will no doubt be heard in the corridors of Washington for some time. Her successor has yet to be appointed.

Transcript of February 2024 speech to CSIS