Ryabkov said about sending to the U.S. a request for an aggreeman to the new Russian ambassador

Russia has sent a request for preliminary approval of the candidacy of its new ambassador to the United States. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on December 11.

"A request for an aggreeman to our new ambassador in Washington has been sent," Ryabkov said, his words quoted by TASS.

The diplomat did not give other details.

Earlier, on November 24, the Kommersant newspaper reported that Alexander Darchiev, director of the Foreign Ministry's North America Department, could probably be appointed Russia's ambassador to the United States. The ministry itself refused to comment publicly on this information because of legal restrictions.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov finished his work in this post on October 5 and returned to Russia. He had held the post since August 21, 2017.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 7 that the Russian Federation will appoint its ambassador to the United States in time after Antonov's term ends. Peskov clarified that there was no talk of downgrading the Russian diplomatic mission in the United States.