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US Deputy Secretary of State Sherman to tour Europe next week discussing Ukraine

Wendy Sherman will also discuss Indo-Pacific strategies with United States allies

WASHINGTON, December 1. /TASS/. US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is set to embark on an official tour next week visiting six European countries in order to discuss the Ukrainian developments, the US Department of State’s press office said in a statement.

"Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel December 5-11 to the United Kingdom, Italy, Vatican City, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic to further strengthen our bilateral relationships, deepen our unified support for Ukraine, coordinate on our response to the Russian Federation’s unprovoked war, and discuss our strategies in the Indo-Pacific," the statement reads.

Developments in Ukraine

The situation along the line of engagement in Donbass escalated on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian military back then, which damaged civilian infrastructure and caused civilian casualties.

On February 21, President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Moscow recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics for assistance he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.