Geoffrey R. Pyatt
Geoffrey Pyatt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador to Ukraine | |
| Assumed office July 30, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | John Tefft |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1963 (age 60–61) San Diego, California |
| Spouse | Mary |
| Children | William Claire |
| Alma mater | University of California, Irvine Yale University |
Geoffrey R. Pyatt (born 1963)[1] is the United States Ambassador to Ukraine. On May 19, 2016, he was nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to serve as United States Ambassador to Greece.[2] Pyatt's U.S. State Department career landed him posts in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.[3] This means he is an American in order to work in the United States Embassy. He is paid money for his services at the embassy as that is a job which means he should earn money for it.
Early life and education
Pyatt was born 1963 in La Jolla, an affluent neighborhood of San Diego, California.[1] He received his bachelor’s degree in political studies in 1985 at the University of California, Irvine, and a master's degree in international relations at Yale University in 1987.[1][4]
Career
Pyatt started his diplomatic career in Honduras, from 1990 until 1992 he worked as vice-consul and economic officer in Tegucigalpa.[1] The highest position (before his current post) was deputy chief of diplomatic mission in India in 2006 and 2007.[1] After that he worked as deputy chief of U.S. mission to International Atomic Energy Agency and other international organizations in Vienna.[1] Prior to his current position Pyatt served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs from May 2010 until July 2013.[1][3]
Pyatt took the Oath of Office of United States Ambassador to Ukraine on July 30, 2013 in the Harry S Truman Building of the US State Department in Washington, D.C.[1] Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych accepted Pyatt's credentials on August 15, 2013.[3] After his appointment, Pyatt started actively studying the Ukrainian language.[1] On October 15, 2013 Pyatt attended an international conference on fighting anti-Semitism in Kiev, but could not address the audience at the event due to the United States federal government shutdown of 2013.[5]
Pyatt became part of a diplomatic scandal in January 2014, when his conversation with the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State, Victoria Nuland, was apparently intercepted and uploaded to YouTube.[6]
Pyatt supported the 2014 Ukrainian revolution against Ukraine's President Victor Yanukovych.[6][7]
Pyatt characterised pro-Russian separatist rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk as "terrorists".[8]
On September 25, 2015, during his speech at Odesa Financial Forum, Pyatt criticized Ukrainian Prosecutor's office.[9]
On May 19, 2016, he was nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to serve as United States Ambassador to Greece. He will be replaced by Marie L. Yovanovitch in Ukraine.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Welcome, Mr. Pyatt!", Den, 5 August 2013.
- ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts", White House, May 19, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Yanukovych accepts credentials from new US ambassador, discusses with him Ukrainian-US relations", Interfax-Ukraine (15 August 2013)
- ^ Biography, U.S. State Department
- ^ "Ambassador Pyatt decides not to speak at public events in Kyiv due to US government shutdown", Interfax-Ukraine, 15 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Ukraine crisis: Leaked phone call embarrasses US". BBC News. February 6, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine’s parliament votes to oust president; former prime minister is freed from prison". The Washington Post. February 22, 2014.
- ^ Voice of America, Q&A with US Amb. Geoffrey Pyatt: Ukraine Crisis Escalates as War Fears Grow, 14 April 2014.
- ^ "Prosecutors office is not able to fight corruption US Ambassador". 112.International. September 25, 2015.
- ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts" (Press release). White House Press Office. May 19, 2016.
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