Moscow, March 6 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Alexander Darchiev, a veteran diplomat known for his past public denunciations of the West, as ambassador to the United States on Thursday. This move, aimed at fostering reconciliation, has taken Ukraine and European countries by surprise.
Last week, following a meeting between Russian and U.S. officials in Turkey, the Foreign Ministry in Washington approved the appointment of Darchiev, who currently heads the ministry's North America department.
The six-hour meeting in Istanbul last Thursday marked a significant step as the two delegations sought to normalize embassy operations after years of strained relations, signaling a potential thaw between the nations.
President Donald Trump diverged from previous Ukraine policy by initiating direct talks with Moscow and halting military aid to Kyiv after a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House last week.
Since the departure of the former ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, last October, Russia has not had a representative in Washington. Darchiev, aged 64, has had two extensive postings at the Russian embassy in Washington and served as ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021. Known for his vocal criticism of the United States and the West, Darchiev emphasized Russian national interests and sphere of influence in a statement to Interfax in March 2022.
In a memoir, John J. Sullivan, a U.S. ambassador to Russia during the Biden administration, recounted an incident where Darchiev expressed strong opposition during a meeting in Moscow over remarks made by Biden, calling Putin a war criminal. Sullivan described Darchiev as becoming "visibly enraged." Upon contact by Reuters, Sullivan declined to provide further details, and Reuters was unable to reach Darchiev for comment.