The U.S. Does Not Consider Russians to Be Enemies: New U.S. Ambassador to Russia

The new U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Lyn Tracy, arrived in Russia in January of this year but gave her first interview only recently. In a conversation with Kommersant, she assessed the state of bilateral relations and the prospects for arms control, explained what surprised her in Russia's new foreign policy concept, and answered questions about visa restrictions.

Tracy emphasized that she believes in and supports public diplomacy, expressing her fondness for Russians. "No matter what differences we may have with the Russian government, they are not contradictions with the Russian people," she stated, adding that she is saddened to see the direction in which Russia is moving.

According to the Ambassador, U.S.-Russian relations are at one of their lowest points, although this has not always been the case. "In 2014, we saw how Russia embarked on a path of extreme destabilization by illegally annexing Crimea and destabilizing the situation in Donbas. At that moment, Russia's actions provoked a reaction not only in the U.S. but also among its neighbors in Western Europe. The response to Russia’s violation of Ukraine's territorial sovereignty and territorial integrity was extremely harsh. I simply do not see how one can argue that Russia's actions towards Ukraine have enhanced Russia's strategic security. How have they strengthened it? Ultimately, this is the argument that Russia uses to claim it is concerned about its own security. I do not see any improvement in the security situation; this also applies to economic security," Tracy stated.

She added that the U.S. does not consider Russians to be enemies.