President Joe Biden has been slammed by critics for failing to nominate a U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, all while the security of the country hangs in the balance under the threat of a Russian invasion.
Currently, the U.S. only has a deputy chief of mission in Kyiv, Alan Purcell, appointed in May 2021
“And there’s been clamoring in this town and over in Ukraine for a U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. Where do things stand on appointing somebody?” one reporter asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday.
“Certainly understand that. I don’t have any update on the status at this point in time,” Psaki responded.
“President Biden has undermined the U.S.-Ukraine relationship by failing to even nominate an ambassador to Ukraine — it is a dereliction of duty and contributes to the instability we’re seeing unfold today,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee, told The Washington Free Beacon.
“It is a horrible time for the United States to not have a Senate-confirmed ambassador in Kyiv,” Brad Bowman, a former Senate defense adviser who serves as senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Center on Military and Political Power, said. “A year into the Biden administration, there is zero excuse for the White House’s failure to nominate someone.”
“Deputy chiefs of mission can be incredibly effective, but there is simply no substitute for an ambassador,” Bowman said, adding that “the Senate can be slow in confirming nominees, but you can’t blame the Senate if you haven’t even nominated someone. This borders on diplomatic malpractice by the Biden administration.”
On Monday, President Joe Biden placed thousands of U.S. troops on alert, ready to respond if the situation in Eastern Europe descends into conflict.
“I want to provide some facts on these preparations that will reinforce our commitment to NATO and to the NATO Response Force and increase our readiness,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said. “Secretary Austin has placed a range of units in the United States on a heightened preparedness to deploy, which increases our readiness to provide forces if NATO should activate the NRF or if other situations developed.”
“All told, the number of forces that the Secretary has placed on heightened alert comes up to about 8,500 personnel,” Kirby added.
“And that’s exactly why we send a very clear message to Russia that if they once again decide to use force against Ukraine, it will come with a high costs for Russia. Economic, financial, political sanction,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. “NATO Allies also provide support to Ukraine. Ukraine has of course the right to self-defense as every sovereign nation has. And NATO Allies help them to uphold that right to self-defense with the support Allies provided to Ukraine.”
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.