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.
