Gotabaya complements regime-change US diplomat Nuland
In the power circles of Washington DC, the resignation of Victoria Nuland, the third-ranking US diplomat, as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs this week came amidst a US funding ‘pause’ for Ukraine to continue with war efforts against the Russian invasion.
Ms. Nuland, a career foreign service officer who has Ukrainian roots, came under severe criticism over the crucial role she played in Ukraine, stirring civil society for a regime change' through the ouster of a pro-Russian president and demanding EU membership. This ultimately led to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Ms. Nuland’s departure and praised her as “truly exceptional.”
Ms. Nuland has been considered a divisive and controversial figure in US foreign policymaking circles throughout her three-decade-long career in various capacities.
In March 2022, Ms. Nuland visited Sri Lanka with top-ranking officials as the country was going through the worst economic crisis that later resulted in long queues and shortages of cooking gas and fuel, with the situation spiralling into the Aragalaya demanding a 'regime change’. During her visit, she met the then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as well.
Interestingly enough, the latest book released by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this week, titled "The Conspiracy to Oust me from Presidency- How internationally sponsored regime change made mockery of Democracy in Sri Lanka" also recalled the meeting with Ms. Nuland on a positive note.
"On 22 March 2022, Victoria Nuland, the Under Secretary for Political Affairs of the US Department of State visited Sri Lanka. When she met me, she came across as being conciliatory and wanting to work with my government to overcome the economic crisis that Sri Lanka was facing. Usually, when high-ranking members of Western governments visit Sri Lanka, we hear a lot about what we were not doing right. However, the tone set by this visit was different and I did not hear the lecture that Sri Lankan leaders would normally expect," the former President recalled in his book.