Obama’s announcement that he is tapping John Tefft for the high-profile diplomatic post comes amid a crucial period in U.S.-Russia relations, which have been severely tested over President Vladimir Putin’s actions in neighboring Ukraine, among other issues. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has been without an ambassador since February.
Senate confirmation is required for the post.
Tefft served as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine in Obama’s first term. Immediately before that, he was the U.S. ambassador to Georgia during the administration of George W. Bush.
Since 2013, he has been executive director of the Rand Business Leaders Forum at the Rand Corp., a nonprofit that analyzes public policy.
The previous ambassadorto Russia, Michael McFaul, stepped down in February after a turbulent two years in Moscow.
Courtesy Washington Post.