Biden plans to nominate Lynne Tracy as US envoy to Russia

President Joe Biden plans to nominate Lynne Tracy, a career diplomat currently serving in Armenia, as the next US ambassador to Russia, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Tracy, who speaks Russian and was the No. 2 diplomat in Moscow from 2014 to 2017, would be the first female to serve in the role. She has been ambassador to Armenia since 2019.

The Biden administration hopes to get her in place swiftly to replace John Sullivan who stepped down earlier this month, CNN reports.

The timing of her arrival and official nomination will depend on Russia agreeing to accept her as ambassador at a time of huge tension between Washington and Moscow as the war in Ukraine continues.

Typically, the host country will approve the name of an ambassador pick before they are officially nominated through a process called agrément. The US has already given Tracy’s name to the Russians to begin that process, two sources said.

US officials point out that Russia does want to maintain diplomatic relations with the US and could be motivated to accept Tracy without delaying the process to ensure their ambassador in Washington maintains access.

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment.

The nomination of Tracy will mark a complete overhaul of leadership at the embassy in Moscow. Sullivan had not been present in Russia for most of the summer because he had been in the US with his wife who had been seriously ill and died last week.