US ambassador to Russia heads home amid mounting tensions with Moscow

The Kremlin emphasised that it couldn’t order envoy John Sullivan to leave for consultations and could only ‘recommend’ he do so

The two superpowers recently traded sanctions as ties hit rock bottom over election meddling, the SolarWinds hack and other issues

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US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan speaks to the press outside the Moscow City Court in June 2020. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:24am, 21 Apr 2021Updated: 6:24am, 21 Apr 2021

The US ambassador to Russia said on Tuesday he will head home for consultations – a move that comes after the Kremlin prodded him to take a break as Washington and Moscow traded sanctions.

The Kremlin emphasised that it could not order Ambassador John Sullivan to leave for consultations and could only “recommend” that he do so amid the current tensions.

Sullivan said in a statement that he is returning to the United States this week to discuss US-Russian ties with members of President Joe Biden’s administration. He emphasised that he would come back to Moscow within weeks.

“I believe it is important for me to speak directly with my new colleagues in the Biden administration in Washington about the current state of bilateral relations between the United States and Russia,” Sullivan said in a statement issued by the embassy.

“Also, I have not seen my family in well over a year, and that is another important reason for me to return home for a visit.”

US State Department spokesman Ned Price on Tuesday also stressed that Sullivan “has not been expelled” and “has not been ordered out of the country,” but is rather “returning now at an opportune time to undertake consultations here, to see his family”.