United States ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, is refusing to leave the country after the Kremlin advised him to return home following new Biden administration sanctions.
On Friday, Russia’s foreign ministry announced it would expel 10 American diplomats and bar current officials, such as Attorney General Merrick Garland, from visiting Russia.
But the Kremlin only summoned Sullivan to meet with a top foreign policy official, Yuri Ushakov, who recommended he go back to Washington for consultations with Biden officials.
Last week, in response to Russian cyber-espionage and interference into U.S. elections, Biden unveiled a series of sanctions targeting the Russian economy.
Biden spoke with President Putin last Tuesday, telling him that sanctions were coming while also exploring the possibility of a summit between the two later this year.
In announcing the sanctions, Biden called them “proportionate,” and was careful to note he did not want to kick off a cycle of escalation with Putin.
On Mondy, National security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with Nikolay Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, to discuss a possible presidential summit.
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