US Apologizes to EU for Leaked Phone Call, Seeks to Blame Russia

Nuland to US Ambassador: F*** the EU

The US State Department has confirmed that Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland has formally apologized to the European Union for a leaked phone call recording between her and the US Ambassador to the Ukraine. During the conversation, Nuland declared “f*** the EU.”

State Department officials wouldn’t confirm the authenticity of the recording, but off-the-record said it sounded like a conversation that occurred last week. That an apology was already offered certainly seems like a confirmation, however.

There was no indication of how the conversation was recorded or leaked, but US officials suggested that the fact that a Russian official tweeted a link to the video hinted at Russian involvement.

The State Department went on to say that the tweet was a “new low” for Russia, though it seems a far sight better than the State Department official being caught in a expletive-laden conversation about a putative ally.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.