Washington Post: Trump's purge includes Pyatt, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine
The Washington Post names Geoffrey R. Pyatt, who served in Kyiv from 2013-2016, as one of many President-elect Donald Trump wants out of the State Department.
Then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt holds the front page of the July 1, 2016, edition of the Kyiv Post while meeting then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
BY BRIAN BONNER
The Washington Post is reporting today that Geoffrey R. Pyatt, currently the assistant secretary of state for energy resources, is among dozens of top-level State Department officials who have been asked by President-elect Donald Trump to resign.
“The forced departures are “aimed at establishing a decisive break from the Biden administration,” the newspaper reported. “It’s unclear how far the Trump administration will go in rooting out perceived enemies at Foggy Bottom, which Trump often calls the ‘Deep State Department.’’’
Pyatt served as U.S. ambassador in Ukraine from 2013-2016. He was very active and effective in putting the best face on a weak response by U.S. President Barack Obama to Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. He also played a key role during the EuroMaidan Revolution in a diplomatic push to seek a peaceful end to the mass protests that began in November 2013. In meetings with then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014, a tentative compromise called for early presidential elections. But Ukrainians wanted no part of such a deal, and Yanukovych fled power on Feb. 22, 2014, settling in Russia, which backed his presidency. More than 100 protestors were killed by snipers during the protests. No leaders have been held accountable for the deaths.
Pyatt was also very accessible and actively supported independent journalism. When I was chief editor, he always participated in Kyiv Post events. At one point, he told me that he believed in the newspaper’s mission and offered to do whatever he could to support us.
During a meeting with business leaders, he scolded those in attendance for not doing more to speak out against corruption in high places in Ukraine, saying it’s not fair just to stay quiet and expect the U.S. government and Brian Bonner of the Kyiv Post to lead the charge.
I could not reach Pyatt for comment today.
But given his knowledge, energy and experience, I suspect he will find a high-profile role somewhere in the public or private sector soon.