Kremlin promises timely appointment of new US Ambassador, dismissing speculation over downgrading ties

Dismissing speculation that relations with Washington were being downgraded at the end of the term of the current envoy Anatoly Antonov, the Kremlin on Monday said that a new Russian ambassador to the US would be appointed “in a timely manner.”

Antonov, 69, who was born in Siberia and has had a long career in diplomacy, has been leading the Russian embassy in Washington since 2017. He mentioned in July that his tenure was nearing its conclusion.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin did not have a meeting with Antonov planned at this time, but noted that ambassadors have the option to report to the president on a daily basis.

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Asked if the return of Antonov indicated that relations with Washington were being downgraded, Peskov said: “No, of course an ambassador will be appointed in a timely manner.”

The current confrontation between Russia and the West over Ukraine is unparalleled in history and a mistake could lead to catastrophe, a senior Russian diplomat said on Thursday when asked about comparisons to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

The 2-1/2-year-old Ukraine war, the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two, has triggered a major confrontation between Russia and the West, and Russian officials say it is now entering its most dangerous phase to date.

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With inputs from agencies