US Ambassador to Russia Tracy leaving post, embassy says
U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Lynne Tracy will soon be stepping down from her post, the U.S. Embassy in Russia announced on June 12.
The statement said that Tracy is "concluding her mission at the U.S. Embassy in Russia," without providing further details.
The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump makes a decisive break from the previous Biden administration’s Russia policy, aiming to restore relations and negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
Tracy replaced John Sullivan at the key diplomatic post in Moscow in January 2023, after being nominated by former President Joe Biden.
A seasoned diplomat, Tracy previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Armenia and held posts at diplomatic missions in Russia, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
The embassy announced a live stream on June 13 to "bid farewell" to the outgoing envoy.
Tracy led the U.S. mission in Russia in one of the lowest points of the U.S.-Russian relationship in decades, as Washington imposed massive sanctions on Moscow and backed Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Though diplomatic contacts during this period were limited, Tracy played a key role in negotiating the release of U.S. citizens held in Russia, such as Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
The ambassador is concluding her mission after around two years, a similar time period to her predecessor. It is not immediately clear who will replace her.
In April, Bridget Brink, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, unexpectedly resigned, later explaining the move by opposition to Trump's foreign policy.
Russia also appointed its new envoy to the U.S., Alexander Darchiev, earlier this year amid a thaw in U.S.-Russian ties under Trump.
Timothy Snyder
