Top State Department Official Resigns Amid Ukraine-Russia War

(AmericanProsperity.com) – The US State Department announced on Monday that Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried decided to step down from her position, representing a delicate situation for the Biden administration considering the active role that the United States is playing in the Ukraine-Russia war.

In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Donfried has “deftly managed” the relationships between the United States and many of its most important allies in Europe. He also explained this has been a significant success considering that it took place at a moment where Russian leader Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine, in what has already become one of the worst armed conflicts that the world has seen in this century.

In addition, Blinken explained she showed plenty of leadership during her role as Assistant Secretary, pointing out that she managed to empower the Department’s team and make it more efficient in defending the different values it shares with the most important US allies in Western and Eastern Europe.

Donfried served as the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs since late September 2021, after being nominated six months before by President Joe Biden. She previously served as the Senior Director for European Affairs on National Security during the Obama administration and as president of the German Marshall Fund.

Many believe her absence represents a significant problem that the Biden administration will have to solve in the short term, considering that she was a crucial diplomatic figure in a moment where the United States is confronting different issues not only with the Russian invasion but also with NATO’s intentions to expand itself.

So far, the White House hasn’t announced who will be nominated to replace Donfried. In addition, she hasn’t explained the reasons behind this decision, and hasn’t said whether this is a retirement or whether she will be going to a similar position in the coming months.