US ambassador to Russia leaves post as Ukraine war drags on
- John Sullivan’s departure comes in the midst of an increasingly serious crisis over Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as disputes over detained Americans in Russia
- Elizabeth Rood, the deputy chief of mission to Russia, will be the top US diplomat in Moscow until a successor nominated by Joe Biden replaces Sullivan
The US ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, ended his tenure as America’s top diplomat in Moscow on Sunday after nearly three years, spanning the Trump and Biden administrations, and will retire from a lengthy career in government service.
His departure, which comes in the midst of an increasingly serious crisis over Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as disputes over detained Americans in Russia, had been expected this autumn as he reached the usual length of time for US ambassadors. But it was sped up because of family medical issue, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the situation.
“Ambassador Sullivan’s departure is planned and part of a normal diplomatic rotation,” the State Department said. “He has served a full tenure as US ambassador to Russia, managing one of the most critical bilateral relationships in the world during unprecedented times.”
The department added: “The US will continue to condemn unequivocally the Kremlin’s aggressive war against Ukraine and remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the war has slowed to a grind with both sides trading combat strikes and small advances in the east and south. Both Russian and Ukraine have seen thousands of troops killed and injured, and Russia’s bombardment of cities has killed countless innocent civilians.
Elizabeth Rood, the deputy chief of mission to Russia, will be the top US diplomat in Moscow until a successor nominated by US President Joe Biden replaces Sullivan.
A Boston native and big ice hockey fan who brought his skates and equipment when he left for Russia, Sullivan had returned to Moscow from a summer break just last week and had attended former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s memorial service on Saturday.
Sullivan took the helm of the Moscow embassy at a particularly difficult time in US-Russia relations, which have only grown worse. He struggled to hold together a diplomatic mission dramatically reduced in staff as Washington and Moscow carried out an increasingly severe series of tit-for-tat expulsions.