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US Embassy in Russia confirms Huntsman will step down in October

Huntsman was appointed the US envoy to Russia in October 2017

US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman AP Photo/Matt Rourke

US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman

© AP Photo/Matt Rourke

MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The United States Embassy in Moscow has confirmed that US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman has tendered resignation.

According to a resignation letter, which the envoy sent to US President Donald Trump, Huntsman will step down on October 3. The diplomat called to continue holding Russia accountable "when its behavior threatens" the US and its allies but noted that Moscow and Washington have "common interests" which cannot be ignored.

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In particular, Huntsman stressed the need to "maintain channels for dialogue on issues of national interest" such as combatting terrorism and ensuring verifiable arms control.

Huntsman was appointed the US envoy to Russia in October 2017. The diplomat earlier was the US Ambassador to Singapore in 1992-1993, the Governor of Utah in 2005-2009 and the US envoy to China in 2009-2011.

In May 2011, Huntsman announced his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination for the president, but six months later he withdrew from the race and officially backed Mitt Romney, who was defeated by Democrat Barack Obama. During the 2012 presidential race, Huntsman criticized Obama’s policy of resetting ties between Washington and Moscow.

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