U.S. Embassy to stop consular services in Russia from August 1
From August 1, 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow will stop providing consular services due to the reduction in staff at its diplomatic mission, U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan told the independent television channel Dozhd on June 27.
According to Sullivan, consular services will “be unable to process any visa applications” due to staff shortages.
“After August 1, we will have very few people working here, which is why we won’t be able to provide consular services, which, as I know, both Americans and Russians need so much. And this isn’t just an obstacle in terms of the relationship between the U.S. and Russia. This has serious personal implications for families, as well as commercial implications for businesses — both American and Russian.”
Russia and the United States exchanged tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions against the backdrop of new U.S. sanctions in April 2021. U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Ross was among ten American diplomats expelled from Russia. Moscow and Washington also recalled their ambassadors for consultations.
Around the same time, Russia banned the U.S. diplomatic mission from hiring citizens of Russia and third countries. The Russian government later announced its intent to postpone the hiring ban. In May, the U.S. closed its Consulate General in Yekaterinburg; its diplomatic mission in Vladivostok closed earlier this year.
The return of the ambassadors to Moscow and Washington was announced following the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva on June 16.