Biden nominates veteran foreign service officer as ambassador to Russia

President Joe Biden has formally nominated a veteran foreign service officer with years of experience in Russian affairs to be the next US ambassador to Russia.

The White House announced the nomination of Lynne Tracy, the current US ambassador to Armenia, to the post after the Russian government signed off on the choice. Tracy's selection had been known for some time but had not been announced pending Russia's approval. Ambassadorial nominations must be approved by the host government under the rules of diplomatic protocol.

Such approval is generally routine but couldn't be taken for granted at a time of particularly fraught US-Russian relations over Ukraine, the detention of Americans in Russia, allegations of Russian meddling in US and other elections, and an escalating spat over the staffing of embassies in Washington and Moscow.

Tracy, who speaks Russian, previously served as a senior adviser for Russian affairs in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, and as the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Moscow. She also held several posts in Central and South Asia.

The previous US ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, left earlier this month, in an departure that had been expected this fall but was accelerated by the failing health of his wife, who died a day after his return.

Tracy is well-regarded within diplomatic circles. She received a State Department heroism award from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009.