President Joe Biden intends to nominate State Department’s Sanctions Coordinator Jim O’Brien as new Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs to replace recently departed Karen Donfried, TURAN’s Washington correspondent reports citing the White House. O’Brien previously worked as the first Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. “A former career employee of the State Department and recipient of numerous performance awards from 1989 to 2001, he served as Senior Advisor to former Secretary Madeleine Albright, Principal Deputy Director of Policy Planning, and Presidential Envoy for the Balkans,” the White House reminded in its release. It went on to add that O’Brien “led a large and successful sanctions program and advised on a range of issues, including peace negotiations in Europe, scientific and environmental agreements, Russia and Ukraine’s post-Soviet transitions, and initiatives to investigate and prosecute persons responsible for war crimes.” O’Brien’s nomination as the Assistant Secretary for Eurasia, who also serves as principal advisor to the secretary of state, is yet to be confirmed by the Senate. Currently, the State Department’s Europe and Eurasian Affairs Bureau is led by acting assistant secretary Dereck Hogan.

Source: Turan News Agency