The United States has formally approved Alexander Darchiev as Russia’s new ambassador, clearing the way for him to fill the long-vacant post in Washington.
“The American side has issued an official note granting agrément for the appointment of Alexander Darchiev, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s North American Department, as the new Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States,” the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Friday.
His appointment follows a sudden thaw in U.S.-Russia relations after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Darchiev’s selection had been in progress since October 2024, when his predecessor, Anatoly Antonov, returned to Moscow. On Thursday, he led Russia’s delegation in Istanbul for six-hour talks with U.S. diplomats, culminating in Washington’s official approval of his posting.
A veteran diplomat, Darchiev previously served at Russia’s Embassy in Washington in the late 2000s before taking on key roles in the Foreign Ministry. He later spent six years as Russia’s ambassador to Canada and has led the ministry’s North American Department for the past four years.
