New Amb. James Gilmore finds unexpected warmth in Europe that ‘really isn’t … secure and peaceful’

by WorldTribune Staff, July 25, 2019

The situation in Ukraine illustrates how Europe is not “secure and peaceful,” the Trump administration’s newly appointed ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said.

Ambassador James Gilmore, right, with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger / USOSCE / Mahvish S. Khan

“I think what’s on the U.S. mind at this point is working hard to preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty, because it’s under attack,” said James Gilmore, who’s nomination to OSCE was confirmed in the Senate on May 23.

The former governor of Virginia said his goal at OSCE is “to obviously preserve the peace and sovereignty of the people of Europe and not allow that to break down to a conflict, which could happen the way the Russians have been behaving. Of course that manifests itself in the Ukraine.”

The bottom line, Gilmore said, “is that the United States really needs Europe to be a secure and peaceful place. It really isn’t. So the goal here is to try to effectuate American policy by adding our voice to peace and stability in the continent.”

In his role at the OSCE thus far, Gilmore said he has not experienced any anti-Trumpism.

“I’ve been a little surprised. I’m surprised because of the warmth and camaraderie that I feel for so many of the countries in the organization. I rather expected based on reports that I had seen that there was some type of anti-American resentment in the organization. I see none of that. I think that they are awfully glad that the United States is there because it relieves a lot of their anxiety and concern.”

The 57-nation OSCE is better equipped to deal with the Ukraine-Russia situation than the United Nations and NATO, Gilmore said.

“This is an organization that can give European focus on the real serious issues of war and peace that exist in Europe today,” he said.

Russian invaded Ukraine in 2014 and later annexed the Crimean Peninsula in a move the U.S. and Europe has not recognized.


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