The American ambassador to Russia has unexpectedly died

Aleksandr Darchiev, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., has unexpectedly passed away at the age of 66, as announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Darchiev was appointed by Vladimir Putin to strengthen ties with the Trump administration, a move that raised concerns in the West and Ukraine. Born in Budapest in 1960, he had a long career in Russian diplomacy, serving in various roles including as a counselor at the Russian embassy in Washington and head of the North America department. He led Russia's diplomatic mission in Canada from 2014 to 2021.