News from April 2023


Assistant Secretary Geoffrey Pyatt’s Remarks at the Center for the Study of Democracy

A/S Pyatt: Thank you very much, Ognian. It’s wonderful to see everybody, and many, many thanks to CSD for inviting me to be part of this conversation today on an issue that is so important to our transatlantic issues and to our shared interest in the energy transition.


Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Meeting with Latvian Foreign Minister Rinkevics

The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel:


Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Belgium

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Brussels, Belgium, April 3-5, to attend the NATO Foreign Ministerial and the tenth U.S.-EU Energy Council meeting.


Russia’s Arrest of a U.S. Citizen

We are deeply concerned over Russia’s widely-reported detention of a U.S. citizen journalist. We are in contact with the Wall Street Journal on this situation.



Designation of Facilitator Pursuing DPRK Arms Deal

Today, the United States is designating Ashot Mkrtychev for arms-related activities involving the DPRK and Russia.


Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Dereck Hogan on the Secretary’s Upcoming Travel to Belgium

Hey, everybody. Good afternoon. Thanks so much for joining us on this trip preview call for the Secretary’s trip to Brussels on Monday for the U.S.-EU Energy Dialogue, as well as the NATO foreign ministers ministerial.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken Virtual Remarks on Russia’s Accountability for the Crimes in Ukraine

President Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Kuleba, thank you for bringing together so many partners and friends of Ukraine for this important and solemn summit.


Assistant Secretary Pyatt’s Travel to Belgium and France

The Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffrey R. Pyatt will join the U.S. delegation traveling to Brussels on April 4 to participate in the U.S.-EU Energy Council and hold other bilateral meetings on energy security, support to Ukraine, and the clean energy transition.


U.S. Welcomes Norway’s Repatriation of Nationals from Northeast Syria

This week, Norway repatriated two women and three children from displaced persons camps in northeast Syria.


Secretary Blinken’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel:


Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Meeting with Finnish Permanent State Secretary Salovaara

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with Finnish Permanent State Secretary Jukka Salovaara today.


U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction in Europe: Minimizing Explosive Hazard Risks, Promoting Environmental Resilience

The United States conventional weapons destruction program continues to support regional security, national capacity building, and economic development in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.


Use of Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance for Ukraine

The use of the Presidential Drawdown Authority to direct a drawdown to provide military assistance under section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) is a valuable tool of U.S. foreign policy in crisis situations.[1]


U.S. Security Cooperation with Ukraine

The United States, our allies, and our partners worldwide are united in support of Ukraine in response to Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken And EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Remarks to the Press

Good morning. Good morning. I’m very happy to welcome you, Secretary Blinken, in Brussels. We just had a very good bilateral meeting marking our great transatlantic cooperation.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks Before U.S.-EU Energy Council Meeting

High Representative Borrell, Josep, thank you. Thank you for bringing us together today and for continuing an ongoing discussion, an ongoing action that we’ve had with the United States and the European Union on an issue that’s critical in the lives of all of our fellow citizens.


Joint Statement on the U.S. – EU Energy Council

The text of the following statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and European Union.


Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Before Their Meeting

Well, good afternoon, everyone. As always, a great pleasure to be with my friend and colleague, Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine


Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba

The following is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel: