“Most of Us Thought That Threat Was Over”: U.S. Diplomats Confront the Chaos and Horror of Russia’s War in Ukraine

As Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine deepened, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a message for the some 69,000 employees he oversees. In a video distributed internally within State, Blinken took swings at the Russian government and stressed the continued importance of diplomacy, even while Russia increased its bombing campaign as Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine dragged on. One diplomat who watched the video described it as “hard-hitting.” Blinken, in the video, “highlighted the continuing importance and value of diplomacy, reminded of the U.S. and local staff at risk and displaced in Ukraine, and emphasized how diplomacy was being employed… Read Full Article