Welcoming the Release of Political Prisoners in Belarus
09/25/2022
Welcoming the Release of Political Prisoners in Belarus
09/25/2022 08:18 PM EDT
Ned Price, Department Spokesperson
The United States welcomes the release of several political prisoners in Belarus including Aleh Hurzdzilovich, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist.
While the release of these political prisoners is a step in the right direction, too many political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
$457.5 Million in New U.S. Civilian Security Assistance for Ukraine
09/26/2022
$457.5 Million in New U.S. Civilian Security Assistance for Ukraine
09/26/2022 08:41 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
The United States today committed an additional $457.5 million in civilian security assistance to enhance the efforts of Ukrainian law enforcement and criminal justice agencies to improve their operational capacity and save lives as they continue to help defend the Ukrainian people, their freedom, and their democracy from the Kremlin’s brutal war of aggression.
Since mid-December 2021, the United States has now committed more than $645 million in assistance that has provided a tangible, positive impact on our Ukrainian law enforcement and criminal justice partners, including the National Police of Ukraine (NPU) and State Border Guard Service. Our provision of personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and armored vehicles has significantly reduced casualties for Ukrainian civilians and their defenders. Ukrainian law enforcement officers remain resilient, motivated, and determined to carry out their wide-ranging law enforcement missions and support for innocent civilians in towns and cities facing continuous Russian shelling.
In addition to expanding our direct assistance to Ukrainian law enforcement, a portion of this new assistance will also continue U.S. support for the Ukrainian government’s efforts to document, investigate, and prosecute atrocities perpetrated by Russia’s forces, drawing on our long-standing relationship with Ukrainian criminal justice agencies, including the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General and the NPU’s war crimes unit.
The United States stands side-by-side with the Ukrainian people and remains committed to supporting a democratic, independent, and sovereign Ukraine.
Designation of a Person in Bosnia and Herzegovina for Corruption and Undermining Democratic Institutions and Processes
09/26/2022
Designation of a Person in Bosnia and Herzegovina for Corruption and Undermining Democratic Institutions and Processes
09/26/2022 01:21 PM EDT
Ned Price, Department Spokesperson
The United States is designating Diana Kajmakovic, a state prosecutor in the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) State Prosecutor’s Office, for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption related to the Western Balkans as well as for being responsible for, complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the Western Balkans. Her abuse of her position as a state prosecutor to assist criminals, including drug traffickers, in avoiding justice is emblematic of the endemic corruption in BiH’s public institutions and representative of a system in which people in power put their own personal and political gain before the needs of citizens.
The United States’ Western Balkans sanctions program targets individuals and entities that undermine or threaten the postwar agreements and institutions established as part of the hard-won peace and Dayton Peace Agreement. BiH is facing its most serious political crisis since 1995, constrained by ethno-nationalist political parties that exploit patronage networks to retain power and wealth. Moreover, the country’s justice system is increasingly captured by, and under the control of, political parties and their patronage networks.
The United States will continue to use all authorities at its disposal to promote accountability for those who engage in corrupt activities or undermine BiH’s democratic processes and institutions.
For more information on today’s action, please see the Department of the Treasury’s press release.
Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Romania
09/26/2022
Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Romania
09/26/2022 07:58 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will travel to Bucharest, Romania, September 27-29, 2022, with the official U.S. delegation to the 2022 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22). This conference will convene member states of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to chart the course for the organization the next four years and hold elections for leadership positions. The United States strongly supports the candidacy of Doreen Bogdan-Martin as the next Secretary-General of the ITU. The U.S. delegation will be led by Ambassador Erica Barks-Ruggles, and includes Ambassador Nathaniel Fick, the new Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy as well as other U.S government and private sector representatives.
During the trip, the Under Secretary will also meet with senior Romanian leaders to discuss shared regional objectives and deepen our partnership and cooperation on a range of issues including energy, food security, health, and supply chains, and a vibrant digital economy that enables all our citizens to benefit from the promise of 5G and future-generation wireless networks. This year is the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-Romanian strategic partnership and presents an opportune time for the Under Secretary to discuss ways we can work together to strengthen economic security for the benefit of the people of the United States and Romania.
United States Awards $3.9 Million to Establish a Sustained Dialogue on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Science and Technologies
09/27/2022
United States Awards $3.9 Million to Establish a Sustained Dialogue on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Science and Technologies
09/27/2022 12:49 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The U.S. Department of State has awarded $3.9 million to CRDF Global under a cooperative agreement to support the “Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses,” the United States’ new initiative in partnership with the United Kingdom. The Sustained Dialogue initiative will focus on promoting the applications of nuclear science and technology to increase food security, fight cancer, and tackle challenges from climate change. This initiative will bring together technical experts, government leaders, and the development community in pursuit of projects that address these global challenges.
CRDF Global is an independent nonprofit organization that works to build a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world through science and innovation in collaboration with international partners. With this award, CRDF Global will support the new initiative by convening a wide range of stakeholders—with a special emphasis on participation from developing countries—to pursue the same goals put forth in the UN’s Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. In doing so, it will promote the essential role that peaceful nuclear technologies play in the nonproliferation regime. The Sustained Dialogue is further demonstration of the United States’ commitment to the peaceful uses pillar of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and will strengthen the role of nuclear science and technology in service to sustainable development.
Special Envoy for Global Food Security Cary Fowler’s Travel to Rome September 29-October 5, 2022
09/29/2022
Special Envoy for Global Food Security Cary Fowler’s Travel to Rome September 29-October 5, 2022
09/29/2022 08:36 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
U.S. Department of State Special Envoy for Global Food Security, Dr. Cary Fowler, will travel to Rome September 29 to October 5 for meetings and consultations at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP). Special Envoy Fowler will reiterate the United States’ strategy for addressing the global food security crisis, discuss further collaboration with the Rome-based food agencies, and follow-up on the Global Food Security Summit held in New York on September 20. The Special Envoy will underscore the continuing need to respond to global food security challenges caused by the climate crisis, Covid-related supply chain disruptions, high fertilizer prices, and conflicts, including Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
On the Anniversary of the Massacre at Babyn Yar: Joint Statement from Special Envoys for Holocaust Issues Condemning Russian Actions in Ukraine
09/29/2022
On the Anniversary of the Massacre at Babyn Yar: Joint Statement from Special Envoys for Holocaust Issues Condemning Russian Actions in Ukraine
09/29/2022 12:41 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The text of the following statement was announced by the envoys for Holocaust issues or their equivalent from Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Romania, United Kingdom, and the United States of America on behalf of their Governments.
Begin Text:
We must never forget the heinous crime against humanity that occurred 81 years ago when nearly 34,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis and their accomplices at Babyn Yar. We can never let the memories of those victims and all who were murdered in the Holocaust be dishonored, erased, or cynically misused for political purposes. For 45 years after the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union censored documentation of the Holocaust, including accurate research and records of the massacre of Jews at Babyn Yar.
Thus it is particularly horrifying that Vladimir Putin is trying to justify his unprovoked war against Ukraine by distorting and misappropriating Holocaust history. Saying that today’s democratic Ukraine needs to be “denazified” is an insult to all those who suffered under the Nazi regime in Ukraine and elsewhere. Such distortion erodes understanding of the Holocaust, disrespects its legacy, and undermines contemporary global efforts to prevent mass atrocities so that another Holocaust can never again occur. Our countries stand together in supporting human rights and fundamental freedoms for all by countering historical distortion and strengthening accurate Holocaust education, remembrance, and research. Understanding the history that led to past atrocities can help us identify and, we hope, prevent such abominations in the future.
In the wake of World War II, the Fourth Geneva Convention was adopted to protect civilians during armed conflict. The unlawful transfer or deportation of protected persons is a grave breach of the Convention and a war crime. Today, estimates from a variety of sources indicate that Russia’s authorities and its proxies have detained, interrogated, and reportedly tortured hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens. Many of these Ukrainian citizens, including thousands of children, have been relocated or forcibly deported from their homes in areas of Ukraine temporarily controlled by Russia, often to locations deep inside Russia. Forced deportation is one of the results of the Kremlin’s so-called “filtration” operations, designed to eradicate resistance, identify individuals Russia deems insufficiently compliant, and deny Ukraine’s statehood and distinct identity. Russia’s authorities have denied this is happening despite substantial evidence from many sources.
We unequivocally condemn these actions and all of Russia’s crimes and atrocities in Ukraine. We call on Russia to immediately end its war of aggression against Ukraine.
We support all efforts to preserve evidence of atrocities, including those conducted by the International Criminal Court, the UN, the Experts Missions under the Moscow Mechanism of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and others.
History shows that accountability is imperative. The people of Ukraine need and deserve justice. Our countries are committed to holding perpetrators of war crimes and other atrocities accountable for their unconscionable actions.
End Text.
Russia’s Sham Referenda in Ukraine
09/29/2022
Russia’s Sham Referenda in Ukraine
09/29/2022 02:24 PM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
The Kremlin’s sham referenda are a futile effort to mask what amounts to a further attempt at a land grab in Ukraine. To be clear: the results were orchestrated in Moscow and do not reflect the will of the people of Ukraine. The United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referenda or Russia’s purported annexation of Ukrainian territory. This spectacle conducted by Russia’s proxies is illegitimate and violates international law. It is an affront to the principles of international peace and security.
Russia has forced much of the population in areas it seized to flee and compelled Ukraine’s citizens that remained to cast ballots at gunpoint, in fear for their safety, and the safety of their loved ones. Ukraine’s people have consistently expressed their desire for a free and democratic future. They want their country to remain independent and sovereign. Their soldiers are fighting bravely, and citizens in Russia-controlled or occupied areas of Ukraine are resisting Moscow’s efforts to change Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders by brute force.
The United States and our allies and partners will continue to assist Ukraine in its fight to defend its territory against Russian aggression. We wholeheartedly support Ukraine’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. As President Biden has said, we will never recognize these areas as part of any country other than Ukraine, and we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Under Secretary Zeya Travels to Qatar, Switzerland, and Poland
09/30/2022
Under Secretary Zeya Travels to Qatar, Switzerland, and Poland
09/30/2022 11:31 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya will travel to Doha, Qatar; Geneva, Switzerland; and Warsaw, Poland October 1-7.
In Doha October 1-3, Under Secretary Zeya will reiterate U.S. appreciation for the long-standing friendship between the United States and Qatar and highlight Qatar’s strong, ongoing cooperation on topics including Afghanistan and our shared efforts to confront global security challenges. She will also promote cooperation on combating human trafficking, advancing labor reforms, and addressing other human rights issues as Qatar prepares to host the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
In Geneva October 3-5, Under Secretary Zeya will raise U.S. priorities related to the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, including the dire consequences of the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine and ongoing human rights violations in Xinjiang. She will also meet with representatives of international organizations and governments to discuss U.S. humanitarian assistance, global migration challenges, and human rights. Finally, Under Secretary Zeya will discuss with partners the need to address underfunded humanitarian challenges globally.
In Warsaw October 5-7, Under Secretary Zeya will participate in the OSCE’s Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. As part of this visit, she will also meet with European partners from international organizations and civil society groups, as well as Polish officials from subnational and national levels, to discuss humanitarian assistance, human rights, and combating human trafficking.
For further information, please contact J-PD@state.gov.
Imposing Swift and Severe Costs in Response to Russia’s Violations of Ukraine’s Sovereignty
09/30/2022
Imposing Swift and Severe Costs in Response to Russia’s Violations of Ukraine’s Sovereignty
09/30/2022 11:57 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
The United States unequivocally rejects Russia’s fraudulent attempt to change Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, including by holding sham “referenda” in Ukraine’s Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya regions. This is a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. In response, the United States and our allies and partners are imposing swift and severe costs targeting additional Russian government officials, their family members, Russian and Belarusian military officials, and defense procurement networks, including international suppliers supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.
We are also issuing a clear warning supported by G7 Leaders: We will hold to account any individual, entity, or country that provides political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory. In support of this commitment, the Departments of the Treasury and Commerce are releasing new guidance on heightened sanctions and export control risks for entities and individuals inside or outside Russia that support Russia’s sham referenda, purported annexation, and occupation of part of Ukraine.
The Department of State is taking action to impose visa restrictions on 910 individuals, including members of the Russian Federation military, Belarusian military officials, and Russia’s proxies for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence. The Department is also designating Russian national, Ochur-Suge Mongush, for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights perpetrated against a Ukrainian prisoner of war. Under this authority, Mongush and his immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.
Additionally, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating 109 additional State Duma members, 169 members of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and more members of Russia’s government including Elvira Sakhipzadovna Nabiullina, the Governor of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR) and a former advisor to Putin; Olga Nikolaevna Skorobogatova, the First Deputy Governor of the CBR; and Aleksandr Valentinovich Novak, a Deputy Prime Minister. OFAC is also designating family members of Russia’s National Security Council, such as Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin’s wife and two adult children, Minister of Defense Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu’s wife and adult children and National Guard Head Viktor Vasilievich Zolotov’s wife and adult children, along with the immediate family members of Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Security Council Dmitry Anatolievich Medvedev, Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko, and Saint Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Dmitrievich Beglov.
The Department of State is joining Treasury in targeting family members of Russia’s National Security Council by designating Olga Sergeevna Sobyanina and Anna Sergeevna Ershova pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 for being the adult children of Moscow mayor and Russian Security Council member Sergey Sobyanin, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked under E.O. 14024.
In furtherance of our commitment to cut off Russia’s access to technology critical to its military, OFAC is designating 14 persons, including international suppliers, who have supported Russia’s defense sector. The sanctions that we and our allies and partners imposed have devastated Russia’s ability to access critical components and technology, and forced Russia’s defense-industrial base to resort to third-country intermediaries and suppliers. This action sends a clear message that international suppliers of sanctioned Russian entities and Russia’s defense sector run the risk of being sanctioned.
Finally, the Department of Commerce is issuing a rule that adds 57 entities located in Russia and the Crimea region of Ukraine to the Entity List—bringing the total to 392. We will continue the United States’ powerful, coordinated efforts to hold Russia to account, cut Russia’s military off from global commerce and severely limit its ability to sustain its aggression and project power.
For more information on today’s action, please see the Department of the Treasury’s press release and the Department of Commerce’s press release.
G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the illegal annexation of sovereign Ukrainian territory
09/30/2022
G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the illegal annexation of sovereign Ukrainian territory
09/30/2022 04:48 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The text of the following statement was released by the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union.
Begin Text
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, are united in our condemnation in the strongest possible terms of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its continued violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Independence.
President Putin’s efforts to incorporate Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions into the territory of the Russian Federation constitute a new low point in Russia’s blatant flouting of international law, and yet another example of Russia’s unacceptable violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty, the UN Charter, and the commonly agreed principles and commitments of the Helsinki Final Act and the Paris Charter.
We will never recognize these purported annexations, nor the sham “referenda” conducted at gunpoint.
We reiterate our call for all countries to condemn unequivocally Russia’s war of aggression and its attempt to acquire territory by force. We call on the broader international community to reject Russia’s brutal expansionism, its efforts to deny Ukraine’s existence as an independent state, and its blatant violation of the international norms that guarantee international peace, security, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.
We will impose further economic costs on Russia, and on individuals and entities – inside and outside of Russia – that provide political or economic support to these violations of international law. We are unwavering in our support for Ukraine’s right to defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression and its unquestionable right to reclaim its territory from Russia.
We reiterate our condemnation of Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric. It will not distract or dissuade us from supporting Ukraine, for as long as necessary.
Russia must immediately stop its war of aggression, withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from Ukraine, and respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We reaffirm that the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya as well as Crimea are integral parts of Ukraine.
End Text
Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Call with Swedish Foreign Minister Linde
09/30/2022
Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Call with Swedish Foreign Minister Linde
09/30/2022 04:57 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde today about the apparent sabotage along the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. The United States is supporting Sweden and other European partners to investigate further. We remain united with our Allies and partners in our commitment to promoting European energy security. The United States and Sweden will continue to strengthen the close cooperation between our countries in the face of regional and global challenges, including Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine.
Republic of Cyprus Independence Day
10/01/2022
Republic of Cyprus Independence Day
10/01/2022 09:07 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
On behalf of the United States of America, I send best wishes to the people of the Republic of Cyprus on your Independence Day.
The Republic of Cyprus and its citizens play a key role in ensuring security and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In the coming year, we look forward to continuing to deepen the growing relationship between our countries and people through economic, cultural, educational, and security ties.
The United States remains committed in its support for a Cypriot-led, UN-facilitated comprehensive settlement to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality for all Cypriots.
