Washington • Newly minted U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman arrived in Moscow on Monday and presented his credentials to the Foreign Ministry, Russian news services reported.
Huntsman, a former Utah governor who was confirmed last week by the Senate as America’s top envoy to Russian, is expected to introduce himself to President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
TASS, a Kremlin-run news outlet, said that Huntsman met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, who said, “A number of topical issues on the bilateral agenda of Russian-U.S. relations were discussed.”
Diplomatic protocols dictate that arriving ambassadors present a document authorizing them to speak on behalf of the country they represent to the nation they’re sent to. U.S. presidents traditionally meet with incoming foreign ambassadors, welcoming them to America and accepting their credentials.
Huntsman’s arrival in Moscow came just days after his unanimous Senate confirmation.
Editor’s note: Ambassador Jon Huntsman’s brother Paul Huntsman is the owner and publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune.