Andrei Klimov
The head of the Atlantic Council, a former Governor of Utah John Huntsman, who may become US Ambassador in Moscow, can not be called a Russophobe. Such opinion on Thursday, March 9, was expressed by the Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on international Affairs Andrei Klimov told “Tape.ru”.
“He is a man who will come from the American national interests, as well as the directives that he will give the state Department and the President personally”, — said the Senator.
Klimov noted that the huntsman already had business relations with Russia. “We need pragmatism in our relations, not ideology,” he stressed, adding that the President of the United States Donald trump surrounded himself with people utilitarian views.
The MP also noted that the current U.S. Ambassador in Moscow John Tefft “was seen in the color revolutions.” “He certainly didn’t settle the Russian-American relations”, — concluded the Senator.
Earlier Thursday, the Federation Council member Alexei Pushkov, commenting on the candidacy of Huntsman to the post of Ambassador to Russia, said that trump is gaining in its team of people who do not want to improve relations between the two countries.
On 8 March, the newspaper Politico reported that trump had offered the Huntsman to become Ambassador to Russia. The politician has not yet given an official response.
John huntsman is a member of the Republican party. From 2005 to 2009 he held the position of Governor of Utah. From 2009 to 2011 served as the U.S. Ambassador to China. From 1986 to 1989 he worked in his father’s chemical company, Huntsman Pacific Chemical Corp. Currently in Russia there are six of its enterprises.
John Tefft has held the post of U.S. Ambassador to Russia in 2014.