U.S. diplomat Donfried to travel to Ukraine and Russia - State Department

Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces rests in a dugout at combat positions near the line of separation from Russian-backed rebels outside Zolote in the Luhansk region, Ukraine, December 11, 2021. REUTERS/Andriy Dubchak

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - The United States will send its top diplomat for Europe to Russia and Ukraine to discuss Russia’s troop build up and reiterate U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, the State Department said on Saturday.

"Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Dr. Karen Donfried will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia December 13-15 to meet with senior government officials to discuss Russia’s military buildup and to reinforce the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity," the department said.