MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has refused to comment on the appointment of a new Russian ambassador to the United States, because, he said, the current situation was unfolding very rapidly.
"I cannot answer this question for now. You see, the situation is changing very fast," he said. "I am unable to answer this question. It would be wrong [to try to do this - TASS]."
The Kremlin official also preferred to refrain from commenting on Russia-US cooperation over Syria under the current extremely volatile atmosphere. "I will leave the question unanswered until the situation involving the bill (on sanctions - TASS) becomes clear," he said, adding that it would be senseless to react to a bill.
"We will react if and when it becomes law," he said.
On July 24, Peskov said that Russia’s new ambassador to the United States would be appointed soon. The Russian embassy in Washington on the same day issued a statement saying that Sergey Kislyak had completed his mission in the capacity of Russia’s ambassador to the United States. Minister-Counsellor Denis Gonchar will perform the functions of Russia’s charge d’affairs for the time being.
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov at the end of June avoided answering media questions if Russia’s new ambassador would be appointed in the near future, adding that such matters were usually kept secret until the official announcement. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the replacement for Russia’s ambassador to the United States would be decided in a routine fashion.
The State Duma’s international affairs committee on May 18 supported the nomination of Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Antonov for the post of Russia’s ambassador to Washington.
"The committee has given its consent to Antonov’s appointment as Russia’s ambassador to the US. His candidacy was proposed by the Foreign Ministry," a source said.