A new Russian ambassador to the United Nations will be appointed very soon, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
“An announcement about a new ambassador will come soon, when the president thinks it expedient,” he said.
Russia’s embassy in Washington said earlier that Sergei Kislyak had stepped down as Russian ambassador to the United States and Minister-Counsellor Denis Gonchar would continue as Russia’s Charge d’Affaires ad interim.
In late June, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov refused to comment on possible appointment of a new Russian ambassador, saying such issues are typically kept in secret until official announcement. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharov, in turn, said the issue of possible rotation of the Russian ambassador in the United States was being considered in a routine mode.