One less enemy of Greece and Cyprus in the White House: Amanda Sloat, who constantly served Turkey, leaves the National Security Council

Amanda Sloat, Senior Director for Europe and Special Assistant to the President, discusses President Biden’s announcement on a new security assistance package for Ukraine that includes longer-range rocket launchers. She speaks on “Bloomberg Daybreak Australia” with Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. Photo via video, source Bloomberg

An architect of European politics of the President of the United States, Joe Biden ends her term on the National Security Council (NSC), leaving the administration amid deep uncertainty about the future of Ukraine.

This is how the Politico website begins its text, referring to a great enemy of Greece and Cyprus, which has always served Turkey, making serious mistakes regarding American foreign policy for the three countries. So let’s just note it: the lady in question grossly wronged Athens and Nicosia.

In the surprisingly positive article of the American website, the following are mentioned, most of which are exaggerations:

Amanda Sloat has been a quiet but key figure in Mr. Biden’s administration’s efforts to improve relations with its traditional allies and confront Russia.

From the transition team to her current role as senior director for European affairs, she drafted key pillars of the new team’s transatlantic strategy and accompanied Mr Biden on eight trips to Europe, including five NATO summits and two EU summits. E.

It was also the driving force behind the rise of the “Bucharest Nine”, a group of Eastern European NATO countries that came together to rein in the region.

US officials say her efforts to serve a transatlantic president are the main reason relations with Europe have improved significantly. But after being in the hot seat for so long, Sloat is trying to “escape”.

“It’s been an amazing three years, but the time has come. I’m tired,” she told NatSec Daily in an interview Thursday morning, confirming her departure.

Sloat will be in Chicago with her family for Thanksgiving — her brother-in-law, a professional chef, will contribute to the feast — before traveling to India to focus on yoga and Ayurveda. He is looking forward to not thinking or being in Europe for a while.

Sloat, whose last day at the White House is next Friday, plans to return from the trips in January, refreshed and ready for her as-yet-unknown next challenge.

Sloat’s tenure on the NSC was dominated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She spent months on little sleep coordinating a response with European allies and warning her Ukrainian counterparts that Vladimir Putin was planning a full-scale attack.

US officials said Sloat ensured the transatlantic response was aligned and robust, leading to billions in military and economic support for Kiev.

Not everyone is happy with the US government’s policy. They argue that more advanced weapons should have been sent to Kiev in the early days of the war, pointing to Ukraine’s stormy counterattack as proof. And they also questioned the wisdom of the US allowing construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany to be completed, a decision Germany reversed after the war began.

Sloat has had some challenging times. Administration officials said she, like many of her colleagues, was caught off guard by the US-Australia nuclear submarine agreement, known as AUKUS. Officials said Sloat was furious that she was left out of the “loop” as the deal was made. After the deal was announced, he faced angry calls from France, which saw its own sub-treaty with Australia scrapped.

She handled the situation well, her colleagues said, and French President Emmanuel Macron later went to the White House for a state visit.

Sloat leaves at a precarious moment. Continued support for Kiev is questionable not only in the US but also in Europe, where some leaders argue that there is no reason to provide more military aid when a Ukrainian victory is not assured.

Her departure follows other top NSC officials, such as Russia chief Eric Green, leading some administration officials to fear institutional memory is going out the door.

Sloat doesn’t see it that way: “We have a lot of people across the interagency who are staying put, and I have a strong team here working on these issues.”

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had nothing but praise for Sloat.

“Amanda was an invaluable part of the president’s team even before the first day, when she faced the congratulations that came from leaders around the world. We have relied on her expertise and advice every day since, especially her leadership in rebuilding transatlantic unity and mobilizing unprecedented support for Ukraine,” he said in a statement.

Despite the positives of the Politico op-ed, the truth is very different. Amanda Sloat has always been an overrated official who contributed literally nothing to American foreign policy. Only problems…

SOURCE: Politico website, ALEXANDER WARD and MATT BERG – Top NSC official for Europe is leaving

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