US ambassador to Russia leaves Moscow, embassy statement says
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy attends a flower laying ceremony by ambassadors of foreign diplomatic missions, in memory of the victims of the attack at Crocus City Hall concert venue, following an attack in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, Russia, 30 March 2024. SERGEI ILNITSKY/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy speaks with journalists outside a court building after a hearing to consider extending detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Moscow, Russia, March 26, 2024. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File Photo
MOSCOW - Lynne Tracy, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, is leaving Moscow, her embassy said on Friday, noting she had served through one of the most strained periods in relations between Moscow and Washington.
The departure of a career diplomat appointed under the administration of former president Joe Biden comes as Russia and the United States discuss a potential reset in their ties which sharply deteriorated after Moscow launched its full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022.
President Donald Trump has said there are potentially big investment deals to be struck, but is growing increasingly frustrated that his efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine have so far not resulted in a meaningful ceasefire.
"I am proud to have represented my country in Moscow during such a challenging time. As I leave Russia, I know that my colleagues at the embassy will continue to work to improve our relations and maintain ties with the Russian people," the embassy cited Tracy as saying in a statement.
It said Tracy's time in post had been marked by her belief that meaningful dialogue was important even during difficult times, the embassy said.
The embassy said earlier this month that Tracy, who arrived in Moscow in January 2023 and was greeted by protesters chanting anti-U.S. slogans when she went to the Foreign Ministry to present her credentials, would leave her post soon.
Her successor has not been publicly named.
Her tenure is similar in duration to her predecessor, John Sullivan, who served as ambassador for two years and seven months from February 2020 to September 2022.
Tracy was notably involved in efforts to win the release of U.S. citizens jailed in Russia, including journalist Evan Gershkovich and former marine Paul Whelan, who were eventually freed in August 2024 as part of a big East-West prisoner swap. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Danish general says he is not losing sleep over US plans for Greenland
Danish general says he is not losing sleep over US plans for Greenland COPENHAGEN - The head of Denmark's Arctic command said the prospect of a U.S. takeover of Greenland was not keeping him up at night after talks with a senior U.S. general last week but that more must be done to deter any Russian attack on the Arctic island. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested the United States might acquire Greenland, a vast semi-autonomous Danish territory on the shortest route between North America and Europe vital for the U.S. ballistic missile warning system. Trump has not ruled out taking the territory by force and, at a congressional hearing this month, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not deny that such contingency plans exist. Such a scenario "is absolutely not on my mind," Soren Andersen, head of Denmark's Joint Arctic Command, told Reuters in an interview, days after what he said was his first meeting with the general overseeing U.S. defence of the area. "I sleep perfectly well at night," Anderson said. "Militarily, we work together, as we always have." U.S. General Gregory Guillot visited the U.S. Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on June 19-20 for the first time since the U.S. moved Greenland oversight to the Northern command from its European command, the Northern Command said on Tuesday. Andersen's interview with Reuters on Wednesday were his first detailed comments to media since his talks with Guillot, which coincided with Danish military exercises on Greenland involving one of its largest military presences since the Cold War. Russian and Chinese state vessels have appeared unexpectedly around Greenland in the past and the Trump administration has accused Denmark of failing to keep it safe from potential incursions. Both countries have denied any such plans. Andersen said the threat level to Greenland had not increased this year. "We don't see Russian or Chinese state ships up here," he said. DOG SLED PATROLS Denmark's permanent presence consists of four ageing inspection vessels, a small surveillance plane, and dog sled patrols tasked with monitoring an area four times the size of France. Previously focused on demonstrating its presence and civilian tasks like search and rescue, and fishing inspection, the Joint Arctic Command is now shifting more towards territorial defence, Andersen said. "In reality, Greenland is not that difficult to defend," he said. "Relatively few points need defending, and of course, we have a plan for that. NATO has a plan for that." As part of the military exercises this month, Denmark has deployed a frigate, F-16s, special forces and extra troops, and increased surveillance around critical infrastructure. They would leave next week when the exercises end, Andersen said, adding that he would like to repeat them in the coming months. "To keep this area conflict-free, we have to do more, we need to have a credible deterrent," he said. "If Russia starts to change its behaviour around Greenland, I have to be able to act on it." In January, Denmark pledged over $2 billion to strengthen its Arctic defence, including new Arctic navy vessels, long-range drones, and satellite coverage. France offered to deploy troops to Greenland and EU's top military official said it made sense to station troops from EU countries there. Around 20,000 people live in the capital Nuuk, with the rest of Greenland's 57,000 population spread across 71 towns, mostly on the west coast. The lack of infrastructure elsewhere is a deterrent in itself, Andersen said. "If, for example, there were to be a Russian naval landing on the east coast, I think it wouldn't be long before such a military operation would turn into a rescue mission," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Czechs say China followed, planned intimidation of Taiwan vice-president
PRAGUE - Chinese diplomats and secret service followed Taiwan's Vice-President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim and planned to intimidate her physically when she visited Prague last year, Czech military intelligence said on Friday. Hsiao visited the Czech Republic in March 2024. Prague does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but has fostered warm relations with the democratically-governed island, which China views as its own territory. Czech media reported last year that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light when following her car. Czech public radio news website said on Thursday that the Chinese had also planned to stage a demonstrative car crash. Czech Military Intelligence spokesman said Chinese diplomats in Prague had taken actions that violated diplomatic rules. "This consisted of physically following the vice-president, gathering information on her schedule and attempts to document her meetings with important representatives of the Czech political and public scene," spokesman Jan Pejsek said in emailed comments to Reuters. "We even recorded an attempt by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions to perform a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which however did not go beyond the phase of preparation." A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, commenting on the matter, denied any wrongdoing by Chinese diplomats and also said the Czech Republic had interfered in China's internal affairs by allowing Hsiao's visit to go ahead. The Czech Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the Chinese ambassador over the incident at the time but did not comment further on Friday. TAIWAN PROTESTS Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said the Chinese actions "seriously threatened the personal safety of Vice President Hsiao and her entourage". "The Mainland Affairs Council today protested and strongly condemned the Chinese communist's bad behaviour and demanded that the Chinese side should immediately explain and publicly apologise," it said. In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said: "Chinese diplomats have always abided by the laws and regulations of the countries in which they are stationed." "China urges the parties concerned not to be provoked and exploited by separatist forces for Taiwan independence, and to not make a fuss over nothing, engage in malicious speculation, and interfere with and undermine the relations between the two countries." Hsiao assumed office, along with President Lai Ching-te, on May 20 last year. Czech relations with China have cooled in recent years. The Czechs accused China in May of being behind a cyberattack on the foreign ministry. Czech politicians have visited Taiwan and former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited Prague last October. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
UK police arrest four over pro-Palestinian protest at military base
LONDON - British police have arrested four people in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest last week in which military planes were sprayed with paint at an air base in England, authorities said on Friday. A woman, 29, and two men aged 36 and 24, were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, while another woman, 41, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, the police statement said. Two activists from the Palestine Action group broke into the air base in central England on June 20, damaging and spraying red paint over two planes used for refuelling and transport, an act that was condemned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "disgraceful." Within days the government set out plans to use anti-terrorism laws to ban Palestine Action, making it a criminal offence to belong to the group. Interior minister Yvette Cooper then said its actions had become more aggressive and caused millions of pounds of damage. The government also said last week that it was reviewing security across all British defence sites following the incident. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
