Don't Close the Embassy, U.S. Ambassador Tells Russia

By Reuters
June 6, 2022

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FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the U.S. embassy in Moscow, Russia March 27, 2018. REUTERS/Tatyana MakeyevaREUTERS
By Guy Faulconbridge

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia should not close the U.S. embassy despite the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine because the world's two biggest nuclear powers must continue to talk, the U.S. ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying on Monday.

President Vladimir Putin has cast the invasion of Ukraine as a turning point in Russian history: a revolt against the hegemony of the United States, which the Kremlin chief says has humiliated Russia since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.

Ukraine - and its Western backers - says it is fighting for its survival against a reckless imperial-style land grab which has killed thousands, displaced more than 10 million people and reduced swathes of the country to wasteland.

In a clear attempt to send a message to the Kremlin, John J. Sullivan, the U.S. ambassador appointed by President Donald Trump, told Russia's state TASS news agency that Washington and Moscow should not simply break off diplomatic relations.

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"We must preserve the ability to speak to each other," Sullivan told TASS in an interview. He cautioned against the removal of the works of Leo Tolstoy from Western bookshelves or refusing to play the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

His remarks were reported by TASS in Russian and translated into English by Reuters.

Despite the crises, spy scandals and brinkmanship of the Cold War, relations between Moscow and Washington have not been broken off since the United States established ties with the Soviet Union in 1933.

Now, though, Russia says its post-Soviet dalliance with the West is over and that it will turn eastwards.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month quipped that he would like to dedicate Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" to Putin.

Asked about that remark, Sullivan said: "We also will never break up entirely."

When asked by TASS if the analogy meant that the embassies could be closed, Sullivan said: "They can - there is that possibility, although I think it would be a big mistake.

"As I understand it, the Russian government has mentioned the variant of severing diplomatic relations," he said. "We can't just break off diplomatic relations and stop talking to each other."

Russia's foreign ministry has called in the Moscow bureau chiefs of U.S. media outlets to discuss on Monday what it says are the repercussions of the United States' unfriendly actions.

Tsarina Catherine the Great's refusal to support the British empire when America declared independence laid the ground for the first diplomatic contacts between the United States and St Petersburg, then Russia's imperial capital.

Following the Bolshevik Revolution in October 1917, President Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize Vladimir Lenin's revolutionary government and the U.S. embassy closed in 1919. Relations were not re-established until 1933.

"The only reason I can think of that the United State might be forced to close its embassy would be if it became unsafe to continue its work," Sullivan said.

Asked how relations would develop, Sullivan, a 62-year-old lawyer, said he didn't know but added that he hoped there might one day be a rapprochement.

"If I were to make a bet, I would say perhaps not in my lifetime."

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Copyright 2022 Thomson Reuters.

Tags: Ukraine, Russia, United States, United


https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-06-06/dont-close-the-embassy-u-s-ambassador-tells-russia

So US has embassy in Russia that hasn't been closed.

Truly international politics aren't run on emotions.

Why are they begging Russia hahahhaha

Nancy2020:
Why are they begging Russia hahahhaha

Why are they 'begging'

USA is a sensible nation that knows the implication of 2 biggest nuclear nations fighting.

Note that, that might lead to killing almost all earth's inhabitants.

Are you also saying U.S is loosing

Kingsley67:
Are you also saying U.S is loosing

has USA ever won any war successfully. ..

Make dem bring d embassy come 9ja. We need more US embassy here abeg

Zidane199:
Make dem bring d embassy come 9ja. We need more US embassy here abeg

You're right my brother

LibertyRep:
So US has embassy in Russia that hasn't been closed.

Truly international politics aren't run on emotions.

nah those nairaland ASUU kids Dey take am personal, international politics na matter of National interest, USA dey try protect its interest in Ukraine na why dem dey send weapons, if dem no get interest na wishes dem go Dey send, that’s how the game works

Teaser4:
nah those nairaland ASUU kids Dey take am personal, international politics na matter of National interest, USA dey try protect its interest in Ukraine na why dem dey send weapons, if dem no get interest na wishes dem go Dey send, that’s how the game works

yeah.

Russia can’t never close the Embassy even doing Vietnam or Afghanistan war, USA or USSR never closed each other embassies.

USA Congress has failed to extend school meal waivers, expiring on 30 June.
They can‘t afford free food in school but have 50 billion for Ukraine

seunny4lif:
Russia can’t never close the Embassy even doing Vietnam or Afghanistan war, USA or USSR never closed each other embassies.

USA Congress has failed to extend school meal waivers, expiring on 30 June.
They can‘t afford free food in school but have 50 billion for Ukraine

Well I can't speak for Kremlin let watch there is a reason Russia wanted to close it after all the USA ambassador noticed it and lament.

Kingsley67:
Are you also saying U.S is loosing

Not at all USA knows the risk

Further escalation will not end well

ken6488:

Not at all USA knows the risk

Further escalation will not end well

Ukrainian military commander Yuriy Butusov admitted that the message about the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the liberation of 50% of Severodonetsk is not true. He accused the Ukrainian authorities of lying.

In the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, political rather than military expediency is increasingly playing the role. And since there are no military successes, one has to simultaneously throw the last reserves into battle and maintain the appearance that "everything is going according to plan."

seunny4lif:

Ukrainian military commander Yuriy Butusov admitted that the message about the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the liberation of 50% of Severodonetsk is not true. He accused the Ukrainian authorities of lying.

In the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, political rather than military expediency is increasingly playing the role. And since there are no military successes, one has to simultaneously throw the last reserves into battle and maintain the appearance that "everything is going according to plan."

the fake news coming from Ukraine authorities is great lol.

Kingsnairaland:
the fake news coming from Ukraine authorities is great lol.

ZELENSKY: EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO PUSH US AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE TO SOME RESULT, DEFINITELY NOT DESIRABLE FOR US, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED YET, BUT BENEFICIAL FOR CERTAIN PARTIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN INTERESTS

seunny4lif:

ZELENSKY: EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO PUSH US AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE TO SOME RESULT, DEFINITELY NOT DESIRABLE FOR US, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED YET, BUT BENEFICIAL FOR CERTAIN PARTIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN INTERESTS

Did he really say that

Does it mean he is coming to his senses. Lol

seunny4lif:

ZELENSKY: EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO PUSH US AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE TO SOME RESULT, DEFINITELY NOT DESIRABLE FOR US, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED YET, BUT BENEFICIAL FOR CERTAIN PARTIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN INTERESTS

forget all this bro.. this comedian is acting according to script .. very soon he will scream , WE NEED MORE WEAPONS

seunny4lif:
Russia can’t never close the Embassy even doing Vietnam or Afghanistan war, USA or USSR never closed each other embassies.

USA Congress has failed to extend school meal waivers, expiring on 30 June.
They can‘t afford free food in school but have 50 billion for Ukraine

The United States is a develop ghetto. That school meal brouhaha shows the US is ruled by private corporations.

Kingsnairaland:


Did he really say that

Does it mean he is coming to his senses. Lol

He said on today Monday

seunny4lif:

He said on today Monday

Just give him more cocaine he will say the opposite tomorrow lol.