Brussels 05.09.2022 The U.S. Ambassador to Russian John Sullivan has concluded his work in Moscow and departed on Sunday, September 4, the U.S. Embassy said in a press statement on its website.

“U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation John J. Sullivan has concluded his tenure as U.S. envoy and departed Moscow today,” it said. “Elizabeth Rood will assume duties as Charge d’Affaires at U.S. Embassy Moscow until Ambassador Sullivan’s successor arrives.”

Sullivan was appointed as the Ambassador to Russia in December 2019 and has served for nearly three years.

“…Why the change? Ambassadors have little power to set policy, but they control the *tone* of daily diplomatic communications. The Biden administration wants to take a harder line with Russia. Expect the new ambassador to be someone the Russians will hate,” the foreign policy analyst Clint Ehrlich writes.