Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed seasoned diplomat Alexander Darchiev as the new ambassador to the United States, a move aimed at fostering a rapprochement that has surprised both Ukraine and Washington’s European allies.
The Foreign Ministry announced last week that the U.S. had approved Darchiev’s appointment during a meeting between Russian and American officials in Turkey. Darchiev currently heads the North America department within the Foreign Ministry.
This six-hour meeting in Istanbul, which focused on restoring normal embassy operations, marks a significant indication of warming relations between the two nations.
Former President Donald Trump has altered the previous approach to the conflict in Ukraine, initiating direct talks with Moscow and suspending military assistance to Kyiv following a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House last week.
In recent years, Moscow and Washington have faced numerous diplomatic disputes regarding staffing and embassy properties, which Russia claims have negatively impacted their relationship.
Since last October, when the former ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, departed, Russia has been without an ambassador in Washington.
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Darchiev, aged 64, has extensive experience, having served two lengthy terms at Russia’s embassy in Washington and held the position of ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021.
