John Sullivan, ambassador to Russia, departs post
September 4, 2022
John Sullivan, the United States’ ambassador to Russia, concluded his time in the role and left Moscow on Sunday after almost three years as envoy, according to a statement from the U.S. embassy in Russia.
Sullivan left the post suddenly because his wife, Grace Rodriguez, was very ill with cancer, he told POLITICO on Monday. Rodriguez, a prominent lawyer, died Monday after the illness took a turn for the worse in recent days, he said. They had been married for 34 years.
“I don’t want anybody to think I was not doing my duty,” Sullivan said in an interview on Monday. He stressed the decision was about his wife, not about the Russian war in Ukraine or Biden administration policy.
Elizabeth Rood, another diplomat who was the deputy chief of the embassy, will take it over until the ambassador’s successor is appointed and confirmed, the statement said. She has been stationed at the embassy since June, but has been nominated to be the next ambassador to Turkmenistan.
Sullivan was appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2019, but was asked to stay on by President Joe Biden. “Following his departure, he will retire from a career in public service that has spanned four decades and five U.S. presidents,” the statement said.
The ambassador faced historic challenges, including Russia launching an all-out war against Ukraine in February. He also had obstacles within the embassy, including staffing cuts, turnover and layoffs.
“He’s in an awful position,” Russia analyst Daniel Fried said shortly before the war began.
Members of the Biden administration appreciated Sullivan staying on from the Trump administration, POLITICO reported in February.
“We have relied on his wisdom and guidance on Russia since Day One of the Biden administration,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan — no relation — told POLITICO at the time.
John Sullivan also served as deputy secretary of State under Trump, and has held senior positions in the departments of Justice, Defense and Commerce. On Saturday, he attended the funeral of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.
Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Source: https://www.politico.com/
