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Senior US State Department official Victoria Nuland has allegedly been caught giving a harsh message to the EU while discussing Ukrainian opposition leaders' roles in the country's future government. The phone call was taped and posted on YouTube. US officials refused to confirm or deny the tape's authenticity, but State Department spokesperson Jan Psaki said that she "didn't say it was inauthentic." While being grilled about this and other tape-related statements, Psaki hinted that the tape could have been leaked by Moscow.


Partial transcript, from here:
QUESTION: ... so before we get into the actual substance of this conversation, this call that was recorded and released, can you say whether you -- if this call is an authentic recording of an authentic conversation between Assistant Secretary Nuland and Ambassador Pyatt?

MS. PSAKI: Well, I'm not going to confirm or outline details. I understand there are a lot of reports out there and there's a recording out there, but I'm not going to confirm private diplomatic conversations.

QUESTION: So you are not saying that you believe this is a -- you think this is not authentic? You think this is a --

MS. PSAKI: That's not an accusation I'm making. I'm just not going to confirm the specifics of it.

QUESTION: Well, you can't even say whether there was this call -- that you believe that this call -- you believe that this recording is a recording of a real telephone call?

MS. PSAKI: I didn't say it was inauthentic. I think we can leave it at that.

QUESTION: Okay. So you're allowing for the -- you're allowing the fact that it is authentic.

MS. PSAKI: Yes. Do you have a question about it?

QUESTION: Yes, okay. Yes, I do --

MS. PSAKI: Okay.

QUESTION: -- now, once we get into it. Quite apart from the colorful language that is used in reference to the European Union, the conversation appears to -- well, doesn't appear to suggest, it does -- the conversation shows that the United States certainly has -- or at least officials within the U.S. Government have certain opinions about certain Ukrainian opposition leaders and others. And I'm wondering how that squares with your repeated insistence that every -- all of this is up to the Ukrainians to decide themselves.

MS. PSAKI: It's not inconsistent in the least bit. It is no secret that Ambassador Pyatt and Assistant Secretary Nuland have been working with the Government of Ukraine, with the opposition, with business and civil society leaders to support their efforts, and it shouldn't be a surprise that at any point, there have been discussions about recent events and offers and what is happening on the ground. And as you know, Assistant Secretary Nuland is on the ground right now continuing our efforts in that regard.

It remains the case that it is up to the Ukrainian people themselves to decide their future. It is up to them to determine their path forward, and that's a consistent message that we're conveying publicly and privately.

QUESTION: All right. And I've got two more and then I --

MS. PSAKI: Okay.

QUESTION: -- but they should be both brief. Specifically --

MS. PSAKI: On Ukraine or --

QUESTION: Yeah, on Ukraine.

MS. PSAKI: Okay.

QUESTION: As related to Assistant Secretary Nuland's comments about the European Union, do -- are the United States and the EU on the same page on what to deal -- how to deal with the situation in Ukraine and how best to resolve the crisis?

MS. PSAKI: Well, let me first say, obviously, we work incredibly closely with the EU and with representatives of the EU, and Assistant Secretary Nuland certainly does as it relates to Ukraine. And she's been in close contact with EU High Representative Ashton. Also, let me convey that she has been in contact with her EU counterparts, and of course, has apologized. But --

QUESTION: What did she apologize for?

MS. PSAKI: For these reported comments, of course.