MOSCOW, September 8 (RIA Novosti) – John Tefft, the newly appointed US ambassador to Russia, presented his diplomatic credentials Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement.
“On September 8, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov met with the appointed US ambassador to Moscow John Tefft, who presented copies of his diplomatic credentials. A wide range of important issues on bilateral agenda was discussed,” the ministry said.
The post of ambassador to Russia has been vacant since the previous US ambassador, Michael McFaul, announced his return to the United States on February 4.
In late June 2014 the US State Department officially appointed John Tefft as the new head of the US diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation.
On July 9, the Kremlin formally approved his appointment.
On September 2, the US Secretary of State John Kerry administered an oath on Tefft in Washington DC, officially making him US new envoy to Russia.
John Tefft worked as the head of the State Department’s office on the Soviet Union in 1989-1992. From 1996 to 1999 and he served as the deputy head of the US diplomatic mission in Russia. He then went on to head US embassies in Lithuania, Georgia and Ukraine.
