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Obama Names New Ambassador to Russia


John Tefft has been named new U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Capitol Hill, July 29, 2014.
John Tefft has been named new U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Capitol Hill, July 29, 2014.

President Barack Obama has named veteran diplomat and Eastern European expert John Tefft as the new ambassador to Russia.

Tefft is long experienced in diplomatic circles within the former Soviet Union, having served as Obama's ambassador to Ukraine and former President George W. Bush's ambassador to Georgia and Lithuania.

Tefft may be one of the most qualified U.S. diplomats to take up residence at the embassy in Moscow at this time of heightened tensions over the crisis in Ukraine.

The U.S. Senate must confirm Tefft before he heads to Russia.

He would replace Michael McFaul, who resigned in February.

Some information for this report comes from AFP.

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