US Ambassador To Russia Leaves Post: How Will This Affect Brittney Griner And Other American Prisoners In Russia?

The U.S. Ambassador to Russia on Sunday ended his tenure as America’s leading diplomat in Moscow following virtually 3 years. Spanning the Trump and Biden administrations, Ambassador John Sullivan will retire solely from a prolonged vocation in authorities support.

Sullivan’s retirement, nevertheless predicted this coming slide, was sped up due to relatives health care issues, according to individuals acquainted with the make any difference.

“U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation John J. Sullivan has concluded his tenure as U.S. envoy and departed Moscow these days,” the US Embassy in Russia reported in a press statement Sunday.

How Will This Affect Brittney Griner And Other Prisoner Exchange Negotiations?

Sullivan’s departure arrives amid the widening disaster about Russia’s war in Ukraine as nicely as disputes over detained Us residents in Russia. 

Diplomatic sources in Russia confirmed in early August that negotiations involving Washington and Moscow are underway over a proposed prisoner swap involving WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan for convicted arms supplier Viktor Bout imprisoned in the U.S.

In excess of the previous seven months of Griner’s detention in Russia, Ambassador Sullivan complained about obstacles he and other embassy officials encountered in their endeavours to take a look at Griner.

Subsequent a number of denials for consular visits, Sullivan took to Twitter in Might, demanding accessibility to Griner. 

“For the 3rd time in a month, Russian authorities have denied an embassy stop by to detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner,” Sullivan tweeted, contacting the scenario “unacceptable” and urging the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry to present timely consular access. Griner was detained at a Moscow airport in February, 1 week right before Russia invaded Ukraine, for possessing significantly less than a gram of cannabis oil in her baggage. 

Ambassador Sullivan Confronted Monumental Difficulties In Russia

Sullivan’s tenure in the Moscow embassy for the earlier 3 several years has been notably difficult as U.S.-Russia relations deteriorate. “He struggled to keep with each other a diplomatic mission substantially lessened in staff members as Washington and Moscow carried out an more and more serious sequence of tit-for-tat expulsions,” mentioned the Linked Press.

In the meantime, Elizabeth Rood, the deputy main of mission to Russia, will be the top U.S. diplomat in Moscow till a successor nominated by President Biden replaces Sullivan.

Photograph: Twitter