American ambassador leaves Moscow for consultations in Washington

The U.S. Ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, left Moscow on the morning of Thursday, April 22. He’s returning to Washington for consultations with the new White House administration, a week after the Russian government recommended he leave the country.

According to Interfax, Sullivan departed from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on an Aeroflot flight to London. Sullivan didn’t speak to the press before the flight.

The U.S. announced new sanctions against Russia on April 15, which included the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats from Washington (among other things). In turn, Moscow recommended that the American ambassador return to Washington temporarily for consultations. Then, on April 21, The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of ten American diplomats. 

On April 20, the State Department confirmed that Sullivan would be returning to the United States this week, adding that he will return to Moscow “in the coming weeks.”

Russia’s Ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, was summoned to Moscow in mid-March. This came after the release of an interview with U.S. President Joe Biden, where he answered in the affirmative when asked if he considers Putin a “killer.” Antonov is still in Moscow.