William B. Taylor Jr. is an American diplomat who was United States ambassador to Ukraine from 2006 to 2009 and returned as charge d'affaires in 2019. He has worked on security and international affairs.
DI has documented statements by William B. Taylor Jr. on International Relations, Russia, and Trade Policy, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.
Role at the time: Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine
Condemned
Statement summary
Taylor calls Trump's waiver of the Graham Act sanctions inexplicable, lists it with the earlier diesel waiver as actions in support of Russia, and says Trump should put pressure on Putin to end the war.
“Well, Brian, it's inexplicable that the United States would take these actions, that the President would take these actions in support of Russia.”
The reference point is Trump's waiver of the Graham Act's Russia sanctions. Taylor calls the waiver an inexplicable action in support of Russia and says ending the war requires pressure on Putin.
The White House says waiving the Graham Act's Russia measures preserves room for peace negotiations. Lawmakers from both parties and Volodymyr Zelenskyy say relief weakens pressure on Russia. Thomas Massie welcomes Trump's use of the authority Congress granted.