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U.S. NEWS Monday 5 SepteMber 2022
U.S. ambassador to Russia leaves post as Ukraine war drags on

By MATTHEW LEE nominated by President
AP Diplomatic Writer Donald Trump and con-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The firmed by the Senate with
U.S. ambassador to Rus- unusually strong bipartisan
sia, John Sullivan, ended support to be ambassa-
his tenure as America’s top dor to Russia in December
diplomat in Moscow on 2019. Biden asked him to
Sunday after nearly three remain in the post when
years, spanning the Trump Biden took office last year.
and Biden administra- He had been the lead U.S.
tions, and will retire from a official in talks with Russia on
lengthy career in govern- counterterrorism and stra-
ment service. tegic security and testified
His departure, which comes in his Senate confirmation
in the midst of an increas- hearing that Russian efforts
ingly serious crisis over Rus- to undermine democracies
sia’s war in Ukraine as well must be combated.
as disputes over detained Sullivan told senators that
Americans in Russia, had he would be “relentless”
been expected this fall in confronting Russia over
as he reached the usual election interference, hos-
length of time for U.S. am- tile moves against neigh-
bassadors. But it was sped bors such as Georgia and
up due to family medical U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia, June 28, 2021. Ukraine, human rights abus-
issue, according to people Associated Press es and violations of arms
familiar with the matter remain steadfast in our Joe Biden replaces Sullivan. cow carried out an increas- control agreements.
who spoke on condition of commitment to supporting A Boston native and big ice ingly severe series of tit-for- His time as the State De-
anonymity because of the Ukraine’s sovereignty and hockey fan who brought tat expulsions. partment’s No. 2 official
private nature of the situa- territorial integrity.” his skates and equipment Sullivan spoke frequently was not without contro-
tion. Since Russia invaded when he left for Russia, Sul- of his frustrations about de- versy.
“Ambassador Sullivan’s de- Ukraine in February, the war livan had returned to Mos- teriorating conditions for Sullivan was the one who
parture is planned and part has slowed to a grind with cow from a summer break U.S. diplomats in Moscow, delivered the news to Ma-
of a normal diplomatic ro- both sides trading combat just last week and had at- especially after Russian re- rie Yovanovitch, the U.S.
tation,” the State Depart- strikes and small advances tended former Soviet Presi- strictions on American and ambassador to Ukraine,
ment said. “He has served in the east and south. Both dent Mikhail Gorbachev’s local personnel forced ma- that Trump had lost confi-
a full tenure as U.S. ambas- Russian and Ukraine have memorial service on Satur- jor reductions in staffing. dence in her and that she
sador to Russia, managing seen thousands of troops day. His four-decade public ser- was being recalled early
one of the most critical bi- killed and injured, and Rus- Sullivan took the helm of vice career included post- from the post.
lateral relationships in the sia’s bombardment of cit- the Moscow embassy at a ings in Republican adminis- Sullivan told the Senate
world during unprecedent- ies has killed countless inno- particularly difficult time in trations as deputy secretary Foreign Relations Commit-
ed times.” cent civilians. U.S.-Russia relations, which of state and senior positions tee that he was given no
The department added: Elizabeth Rood, the deputy have only grown worse. He in the departments of Jus- other explanation for Yova-
“The U.S. will continue to chief of mission to Russia, struggled to hold together tice, Defense and Com- novitch’s removal and told
condemn unequivocally will be the top U.S. diplomat a diplomatic mission dra- merce. her that he did not believe
the Kremlin’s aggressive in Moscow until a succes- matically reduced in staff Sullivan was deputy secre- she had done anything to
war against Ukraine and sor nominated by President as Washington and Mos- tary of state when he was warrant her recall.q

Barack Obama wins Emmy for

narrating national parks series

rator Emmy for his work on Barack Obama is the sec- have done it.
the Netflix documentary ond president to have an The late Chadwick Bose-
series, “Our Great National Emmy. man also won an Emmy for
Parks.” Dwight D. Eisenhower was his voice work on Saturday.
The five-part show, which given a special Emmy The “Black Panther” actor
features national parks Award in 1956. won for outstanding char-
from around the globe, is Barack Obama previously acter voiceover for the
produced by Barack and won Grammy Awards for Disney+ and Marvel Stu-
Michelle Obama’s pro- his audiobook reading of dios animated show “What
duction company, “Higher two of his memoirs, “The If...?”
Ground.” Audacity of Hope” and On the show, Boseman
He was the biggest name “Dreams From My Father.” voiced his “Black Panther”
Former President Barack Obama speaks during a memorial in a category full of famous Michelle Obama won her character T’Challa in an
service for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at the Smith nominees for the award own Grammy for reading alternate universe where
Center in Las Vegas, Jan. 8, 2022. handed out at Saturday her audiobook in 2020. he becomes Star-Lord from
Associated Press
night’s Creative Arts Em- EGOT refers to a special “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — an Emmy Award on Sat- mys, including Kareem category of entertainers It was one of the last proj-
Barack Obama is halfway urday to go with his two Abdul-Jabbar, David At- who have won an Emmy, ects for Boseman, who
to an EGOT. Grammys. tenborough and Lupita a Grammy, an Oscar and died in 2020 of colon can-
The former president won Obama won the best nar- Nyong’o. a Tony. To date, 17 people cer at age 43.q