Latest news with #RussiaRelations
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
First female US ambassador to Russia to leave her role
The first female US ambassador to Russia is leaving her role after serving through one of the most difficult periods in relations between the two countries. Lynne Tracy, who has been based in Moscow, said she is "proud to have represented my country" in the Russian capital "during such a challenging time". There is no suggestion she has been removed from her role by the administration. The departure of the career diplomat appointed by former president 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 February 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. In a statement shared by the US embassy in Russia on Telegram, Ms Tracy said: "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. "I have been inspired by my meetings with Russians who love their country and work every day for a better future. I would like to conclude with lines from Pushkin's poem 'To Chaadayev', which speak of the love for the Motherland that lives in each of us. Goodbye!" The embassy said it wanted to "express our gratitude for her contributions based on consistent diplomacy, deep respect for Russian culture, and dedicated service to the American people". Read more from Sky News: In a statement earlier this month, the embassy said Ms Tracy, who arrived in Moscow in January 2023 and was greeted by protesters chanting anti-US slogans when she went to the foreign ministry to present her credentials, would leave her post soon. She was notably involved in efforts to win the release of US citizens jailed in Russia, and former marine Paul Whelan, who were eventually freed in August 2024 as part of a big East-West prisoner swap. Ms Tracy, who took over from John Sullivan, had previously served as the second-highest official at the US Embassy in Moscow, the deputy chief of mission, from 2014 to 2017. She was the ambassador to Armenia at the time she was nominated to replace Mr Sullivan after he retired. Ms Tracy, who speaks Russian, had also worked at US diplomatic outposts including Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. She majored in Soviet Studies and holds a law degree.
Sky News
a day ago
- Politics
- Sky News
First female US ambassador to Russia to leave her role
The first female US ambassador to Russia is leaving her role after serving through one of the most difficult periods in relations between the two countries. Lynne Tracy, who has been based in Moscow, said she is "proud to have represented my country" in the Russian capital "during such a challenging time". There is no suggestion she has been removed from her role by the Trump administration. The departure of the career diplomat appointed by 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 February 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. In a statement shared by the US embassy in Russia on Telegram, Ms Tracy said: "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. "I have been inspired by my meetings with Russians who love their country and work every day for a better future. I would like to conclude with lines from Pushkin's poem 'To Chaadayev', which speak of the love for the Motherland that lives in each of us. Goodbye!" The embassy said it wanted to "express our gratitude for her contributions based on consistent diplomacy, deep respect for Russian culture, and dedicated service to the American people". In a statement earlier this month, the embassy said Ms Tracy, who arrived in Moscow in January 2023 and was greeted by protesters chanting anti-US slogans when she went to the foreign ministry to present her credentials, would leave her post soon. She was notably involved in efforts to win the release of US 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. Ms Tracy, who took over from John Sullivan, had previously served as the second-highest official at the US Embassy in Moscow, the deputy chief of mission, from 2014 to 2017. She was the ambassador to Armenia at the time she was nominated to replace Mr Sullivan after he retired. Ms Tracy, who speaks Russian, had also worked at US diplomatic outposts including Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. She majored in Soviet Studies and holds a law degree.
Russia Today
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Trump is the first US leader in decades to tell Americans the truth
The United States faces a 'colossal' number of internal problems, and President Donald Trump is the first American leader in many decades to openly admit that, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RT's Rick Sanchez on Wednesday. Moscow remains cautiously optimistic about mending relations with Washington, because President Trump has at least openly declared his intention to focus on 'saving America' instead of meddling in other countries' internal affairs, Zakharova told Sanchez in response to a question about whether Trump could resist the forces seeking deeper confrontation with Russia. 'Finally, a man has arrived in the White House who isn't talking about other parts of the world or dealing with problems of various population groups on other continents. He is the first in decades to tell the American people – and the world – that America needs to solve a colossal number of colossal problems,' she said. 'This man had it all: money, fame, popularity, comfort, family – everything he wanted. He was even president. He could have said, 'From now on, I'll live for myself.' But instead, he came back and said he'll run again – not for money, fame, or popularity, but to try to save his country. That gives me additional optimism,' she added. Zakharova specifically noted Trump's stance on gender as a sign that 'normalcy' might return to American society. 'Everyone can feel how they want to feel. You want to be a table – that's your right. Want to be three dogs at once? You're welcome. You can seek treatment or not, it's up to you… But only a man and a woman were created,' she said. President Trump declared that the US would officially recognize only two genders during his inaugural address in January. He then signed several executive orders reversing protections for trans individuals, ending federal support for gender reassignment procedures on minors, and banning trans women from women's sports while removing 'radical gender ideology' from the military. Donald Trump has also promised to end US involvement in endless wars during his campaign, but has since alienated some supporters with his vocal support for Israel's ongoing bombing campaign against Iran – amid growing concerns that Washington may become directly entangled in another foreign conflict. WATCH FULL INTERVIEW:
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trump has abandoned his own peace plan
First a caveat: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin were on the phone for two hours. Even allowing for the delay caused by translation between English and Russian, that is a lengthy call. And we do not know what else was said beyond the statements put out by the Kremlin and the White House. Nonetheless, the respective readouts are revealing. Mr Trump's focus on trade illustrates two things. First, he still does not seem to understand what Putin calls 'the root causes of the conflict' – or does not care about them. The Russian leader is driven by the goal of righting 'Lenin's mistake' of allowing Ukraine to exist, of addressing what he considers a fundamental challenge to Russia's existence as a great power, of restoring the old empire and Russia's place as one of the leading poles of power on the planet. Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine are driven by self-preservation. There remains an enormous gulf between those positions. Neither is the sort of thing you abandon on the offer of a trade deal. But Mr Trump's objective has always seemed to be less about peace in Ukraine, than normalising America's ties with Russia. Read with that in mind, his enthusiasm about the 'UNLIMITED' potential of 'TRADE' with Russia once peace comes makes more sense. That is consistent with much of his previous rhetoric, so it should be taken seriously. It suggests Mr Trump is impatient to ditch wartime sanctions on Russia sooner rather than later. That in turn implies the White House will push for a quick deal rather than a good deal, and that Russia will be able to rebuild its economic and thus military power more quickly than previously thought. Bad news for Ukraine and Europe. There is little here to suggest peace really is imminent, however. For while Putin agreed with Mr Trump that 'we are generally on the right track' for peace, he makes clear there are several stations to go through to get there. He spoke after the call not of imminent peace, but 'a memorandum on a possible future peace accord' including 'the principles of settlement, the timing of a possible peace agreement'. And of course, he said 'the main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis'. Talks have resumed. The two sides met in Istanbul last week for the first time since 2022. But they could go on for a very long time. In the meantime, the fighting will continue, and troops on the ground will use force to make the diplomatic delegations 'take into account new realities' – another bit of Russian diplomatese, best translated as might makes right. Maybe the war will end this year. But don't hold your breath.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Slovak PM derides EU attempts to keep him from Moscow war commemorations
(Reuters) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Friday his country wanted to develop relations with Russia, and he derided European Union detractors who created obstacles to his attendance at World War Two commemorations in Moscow. Fico broke ranks with the EU by visiting Moscow late last year, more than two years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin late on Friday evening following the Red Square parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. China's Xi Jinping was among several dozen leaders at the commemorations, but nearly all Western leaders stayed away. Fico arrived after a circuitous journey made necessary by EU members' barring his aircraft from their airspace. "As a head of government, I want to assure you that it is in my interest to have pragmatic relations with the Russian Federation," Russian news agencies quoted Fico as telling Putin. He said he opposed the creation of any new "iron curtain and pledge to do everything so that we can shake hands across a curtain". "Let us consider as a childish joke all the technical problems we confronted, created by our European Union colleagues." Putin said Russia appreciated Fico's decision to attend despite the "logistical obstacles that were created. But you are nonetheless here." Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, had criticised Fico's attendance at the Moscow ceremonies. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said attending the victory parade and "applauding President shame to everyone who is there." In a response to Kallas' comments on Facebook, Fico said he was paying tribute to Soviet Red Army soldiers who had liberated Slovakia in the war. Kallas had no right to criticise him, Fico said, as it was normal to hold a dialogue with other leaders. Fico also told Putin he was prepared to use a national veto to oppose plans by the 27-nation EU to phase out Russian energy purchases. Slovakia and Hungary had earlier voiced opposition to the plan. Fico described the proposal as "simply economic suicide".
