The U.S. Ambassador to Russia on Sunday ended his tenure as America’s prime diplomat in Moscow after practically three years. Spanning the Trump and Biden administrations, Ambassador John Sullivan will retire completely from a prolonged profession in authorities service.
Sullivan’s retirement, although anticipated this coming fall, was sped up attributable to household medical points, in response to individuals conversant in the matter.
“U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation John J. Sullivan has concluded his tenure as U.S. envoy and departed Moscow right this moment,” the US Embassy in Russia mentioned in a press assertion Sunday.
How Will This Have an effect on Brittney Griner And Different Prisoner Trade Negotiations?
Sullivan’s departure comes amid the widening disaster over Russia’s struggle in Ukraine in addition to disputes over detained People in Russia.
Diplomatic sources in Russia confirmed in early August that negotiations between Washington and Moscow are underway over a proposed prisoner swap involving WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan for convicted arms supplier Viktor Bout imprisoned within the U.S.
Over the previous seven months of Griner’s detention in Russia, Ambassador Sullivan complained about obstacles he and different embassy officers encountered of their efforts to go to Griner.
Following a number of denials for consular visits, Sullivan took to Twitter in Could, demanding entry to Griner.
“For the third time in a month, Russian authorities have denied an embassy go to to detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner,” Sullivan tweeted, calling the scenario “unacceptable” and urging the Russian International Affairs Ministry to supply well timed consular entry. Griner was detained at a Moscow airport in February, one week earlier than Russia invaded Ukraine, for having lower than a gram of hashish oil in her baggage.
Ambassador Sullivan Confronted Monumental Challenges In Russia
Sullivan’s tenure within the Moscow embassy for the previous three years has been notably tough as U.S.-Russia relations deteriorate. “He struggled to carry collectively a diplomatic mission dramatically diminished in employees as Washington and Moscow carried out an more and more extreme collection of tit-for-tat expulsions,” famous the Related Press.
In the meantime, Elizabeth Rood, the deputy chief of mission to Russia, would be the prime U.S. diplomat in Moscow till a successor nominated by President Biden replaces Sullivan.
Photograph: Twitter
