Darchiev appointed as Russia’s ambassador to US following Istanbul talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and then U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands before a meeting in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. (AFP Photo)
After a meeting in Istanbul, Alexander Darchiev , who was leading the Russian delegation in dicussions with American officials, has been officially recognized as Russia‘s new ambassador to the United States on Friday.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the appointment after receiving the official approval from the U.S. side during the discussions.
According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Darchiev , who is the head of the North America Department, will begin his tenure as the new ambassador to the United States. Darchiev has also previously served as Counsellor at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 2005 to 2010 and as the Ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021.
During the talks held yesterday in Istanbul between Russian and U.S. delegations, which focused on restoring the normal operations of the embassies, the U.S. side officially delivered a note of acceptance regarding Darchiev’s appointment as the new ambassador.
The talks on February 27 discussed the normalization of diplomatic relations, focusing on embassy operations and the potential resumption of direct flights between the two countries, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. The meeting, which lasted 6.5 hours, took place at the U.S. Consulate General residence.
The Ministry further noted that Darçiyev is expected to travel to Washington soon to take up his new position.
Vacant seat since October 2024
The position of the Russian ambassador to the U.S. had been vacant since October 2024, following the official departure of the former Ambassador Anatoliy Antonov.
After Antonov’s return to Moscow, Russia proposed a new candidate for the post, but the previous U.S. administration did not approve the nomination.
