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| From ‘Least Diplomatic Diplomat,’ Salty Peek at Trans-Atlantic Strains | From ‘Least Diplomatic Diplomat,’ Salty Peek at Trans-Atlantic Strains |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Expect lots of gauzy talk about common values and shared interests during the state visit that President François Hollande of France began Monday. In some areas, like counterterrorism cooperation in North Africa, it will even be true. | |
| But a more accurate snapshot of the complicated state of the trans-Atlantic relationship came last week in the leaked audio recording of a senior American diplomat using a profanity to express her frustration about what she viewed as the European Union’s dithering over violent street protests in Ukraine. | But a more accurate snapshot of the complicated state of the trans-Atlantic relationship came last week in the leaked audio recording of a senior American diplomat using a profanity to express her frustration about what she viewed as the European Union’s dithering over violent street protests in Ukraine. |
| The diplomat, Victoria J. Nuland, who is the assistant secretary of state for European Affairs, summed up her feelings about the European Union in what she might have described in her previous job, as the State Department spokeswoman, as a “frank exchange of views” with the American ambassador to Ukraine. | The diplomat, Victoria J. Nuland, who is the assistant secretary of state for European Affairs, summed up her feelings about the European Union in what she might have described in her previous job, as the State Department spokeswoman, as a “frank exchange of views” with the American ambassador to Ukraine. |
| Her remarks — recorded surreptitiously and posted on YouTube, presumably, by the Russians — brought harsh words from the Germans and other Europeans, to whom Ms. Nuland has apologized. But to former colleagues who have walked the labyrinthine hallways of Brussels, her outburst was less shocking than familiar. | Her remarks — recorded surreptitiously and posted on YouTube, presumably, by the Russians — brought harsh words from the Germans and other Europeans, to whom Ms. Nuland has apologized. But to former colleagues who have walked the labyrinthine hallways of Brussels, her outburst was less shocking than familiar. |
| “Similar discussions have probably taken place between the European assistant secretary and colleagues dozens, if not hundreds, of times during the past 20 years,” said John C. Kornblum, who once held Ms. Nuland’s job. “I can assure you that I would be represented.” | “Similar discussions have probably taken place between the European assistant secretary and colleagues dozens, if not hundreds, of times during the past 20 years,” said John C. Kornblum, who once held Ms. Nuland’s job. “I can assure you that I would be represented.” |
| “Post-Maastricht Europe has been a major disappointment to the United States for at least 15 years,” said Mr. Kornblum, referring to the treaty that established the European Union in 1993. | “Post-Maastricht Europe has been a major disappointment to the United States for at least 15 years,” said Mr. Kornblum, referring to the treaty that established the European Union in 1993. |
| In the case of Ukraine, the root of the Obama administration’s exasperation is that the European Union’s hydra-headed structure hindered it from responding forcefully when the protests in Kiev, the capital, turned violent. At the time of Ms. Nuland’s overheard phone call, officials said, the United States was urging the European Union to prepare sanctions against the government of President Viktor F. Yanukovych; the Europeans were resisting. | In the case of Ukraine, the root of the Obama administration’s exasperation is that the European Union’s hydra-headed structure hindered it from responding forcefully when the protests in Kiev, the capital, turned violent. At the time of Ms. Nuland’s overheard phone call, officials said, the United States was urging the European Union to prepare sanctions against the government of President Viktor F. Yanukovych; the Europeans were resisting. |
| But the American frustration with Europe goes beyond the 28-nation traffic jam in Brussels. Even France, with which the United States has indisputably better ties than it did a decade ago, has rubbed the administration the wrong way on critical issues. | But the American frustration with Europe goes beyond the 28-nation traffic jam in Brussels. Even France, with which the United States has indisputably better ties than it did a decade ago, has rubbed the administration the wrong way on critical issues. |
| American officials complained when a delegation of more than 100 French corporate executives visited Tehran recently to explore business opportunities in the wake of an interim nuclear deal that eased sanctions on Iran. The French visit was “not helpful,” Wendy R. Sherman, the under secretary of state who oversees the talks, told Congress. | American officials complained when a delegation of more than 100 French corporate executives visited Tehran recently to explore business opportunities in the wake of an interim nuclear deal that eased sanctions on Iran. The French visit was “not helpful,” Wendy R. Sherman, the under secretary of state who oversees the talks, told Congress. |
| France’s opportunism was especially striking, given that it has staked out a hard line in diplomacy with Iran. In Geneva last November, the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, threatened to hold up a deal until the United States and its partners demanded stricter controls on the heavy-water reactor at Arak, a crucial element of Iran’s program. | |
| The frustration runs both ways. Mr. Hollande was a stalwart backer of President Obama when he threatened a missile strike on Syria last August. When Mr. Obama called off the strike at the last minute to seek congressional approval, Mr. Hollande was left hanging, his warplanes gassing up on the runway. | The frustration runs both ways. Mr. Hollande was a stalwart backer of President Obama when he threatened a missile strike on Syria last August. When Mr. Obama called off the strike at the last minute to seek congressional approval, Mr. Hollande was left hanging, his warplanes gassing up on the runway. |
| The good news for Ms. Nuland, who plans to attend the state dinner for Mr. Hollande at the White House on Tuesday night, as well as a lunch at the State Department, is that France is far less involved in Ukraine than Germany is. French officials have not commented on Ms. Nuland’s remarks, which Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany condemned as “totally unacceptable.” | The good news for Ms. Nuland, who plans to attend the state dinner for Mr. Hollande at the White House on Tuesday night, as well as a lunch at the State Department, is that France is far less involved in Ukraine than Germany is. French officials have not commented on Ms. Nuland’s remarks, which Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany condemned as “totally unacceptable.” |
| By all accounts, Ms. Nuland is a competent, experienced, well-briefed diplomat. In addition to holding down the podium at the State Department, where she earned a reputation as a straight shooter who rarely made a gaffe, she has served as American ambassador to NATO and advised both Vice President Dick Cheney and Strobe Talbott, a deputy secretary of state in the Clinton administration. | By all accounts, Ms. Nuland is a competent, experienced, well-briefed diplomat. In addition to holding down the podium at the State Department, where she earned a reputation as a straight shooter who rarely made a gaffe, she has served as American ambassador to NATO and advised both Vice President Dick Cheney and Strobe Talbott, a deputy secretary of state in the Clinton administration. |
| Still, Ms. Nuland is becoming better known for another, riskier role: a blunt-spoken senior official whose private communications have an unfortunate habit of becoming public, and in the process provide an unvarnished glimpse into what Washington thinks, and how it works. | Still, Ms. Nuland is becoming better known for another, riskier role: a blunt-spoken senior official whose private communications have an unfortunate habit of becoming public, and in the process provide an unvarnished glimpse into what Washington thinks, and how it works. |
| Before her leaked phone conversation on Ukraine, there were her emails to colleagues after the attack on the American diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. At the time, the administration was preparing talking points on the attacks to be used in the news media. | Before her leaked phone conversation on Ukraine, there were her emails to colleagues after the attack on the American diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. At the time, the administration was preparing talking points on the attacks to be used in the news media. |
| When the White House released the emails under pressure from Congress, they painted a picture of Ms. Nuland as a State Department official in a bureaucratic knife fight with the C.I.A., which was trying to portray itself favorably at the expense of her department. | When the White House released the emails under pressure from Congress, they painted a picture of Ms. Nuland as a State Department official in a bureaucratic knife fight with the C.I.A., which was trying to portray itself favorably at the expense of her department. |
| In both cases, Ms. Nuland spoke frankly about a sensitive subject. In both cases, the public disclosure of her remarks put her in an awkward spot, even if her colleagues rallied to her defense and said she was basically doing her job. | In both cases, Ms. Nuland spoke frankly about a sensitive subject. In both cases, the public disclosure of her remarks put her in an awkward spot, even if her colleagues rallied to her defense and said she was basically doing her job. |
| “Part of my charm, and my liability, is that I call it like I see it,” Ms. Nuland said in a telephone interview on Sunday. “I’m well known as the least diplomatic diplomat there is.” | “Part of my charm, and my liability, is that I call it like I see it,” Ms. Nuland said in a telephone interview on Sunday. “I’m well known as the least diplomatic diplomat there is.” |
| Even in Europe, Ms. Nuland has her defenders. Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, posted a message on Twitter saying, “Critics of @VictoriaNuland worldwide: let him who has never used strong language in private cast the first stone.” | Even in Europe, Ms. Nuland has her defenders. Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, posted a message on Twitter saying, “Critics of @VictoriaNuland worldwide: let him who has never used strong language in private cast the first stone.” |
| For her part, Ms. Nuland attributed her salty language to the eight months she spent on a Soviet fishing trawler when she was in her 20s. “So all roads go back to Russia,” she said. | For her part, Ms. Nuland attributed her salty language to the eight months she spent on a Soviet fishing trawler when she was in her 20s. “So all roads go back to Russia,” she said. |
| Still, as Ms. Nuland prepares for a busy week of European diplomacy in Washington, she is taking a page from the European Union’s ambassador to the United States, João Vale de Almeida. On Friday, “in anticipation of Valentine’s Day,” he posted on Twitter a picture of a heart, in European Union blue, with the letters “L*** the E.U.” on it. | Still, as Ms. Nuland prepares for a busy week of European diplomacy in Washington, she is taking a page from the European Union’s ambassador to the United States, João Vale de Almeida. On Friday, “in anticipation of Valentine’s Day,” he posted on Twitter a picture of a heart, in European Union blue, with the letters “L*** the E.U.” on it. |
| Ms. Nuland said she planned to wear a heart-shaped pin with that inscription to her meetings this week. | Ms. Nuland said she planned to wear a heart-shaped pin with that inscription to her meetings this week. |