Special Envoy for North Korea Mark Lambert met with Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and Ambassador-at-Large Oleg Burmistrov in Moscow on November 8 to discuss continued U.S.-Russia cooperation on North Korea.  The conversation was candid and constructive, and Special Envoy Lambert emphasized the importance of continued close coordination with Russia on North Korea.

The text of the following statement was cooperatively released by the Governments of the United States of America, Russia, China, and Pakistan on the occasion of the joint meetings on Afghanistan, held in Moscow on October 24 – 25, 2019. Begin Text: The Special Representatives of Russia, China, and the United States of America held …

U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad held consultations on Friday, October 25, with Russian and Chinese counterparts, as well as officials from Pakistan, as part of a continued effort to support the Afghan people’s desire for an end to war and a lasting peace.  The meetings were positive and constructive.

FACT SHEET OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON AUGUST 2, 2019

U.S Department of State Office of the Spokesperson Media Note June 12, 2019 Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea L. Thompson met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov in Prague today to build on the discussions held by Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Lavrov during their May 14 meeting …

SECRETARY POMPEO: So I thought I’d do two things. One, I thought I’d give you a little bit of a summary of the meeting that I had with my foreign minister counterpart from Russia, Sergey Lavrov. I was just with him again at the event tonight.It was a good conversation. We covered a wide range …

On behalf of the U.S. Department of State, I extend best wishes to Muslim communities at home and abroad for a blessed Ramadan. For many Muslims, this month is an occasion to focus on spiritual rejuvenation, kindness and resilience, compassion for those less fortunate, and harmony across diverse communities. In the United States, many mosques …

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today, May 1, to discuss the situation in Venezuela.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will travel to Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, and the United Kingdom April 21 to May 11, as part of the overall effort to facilitate a political settlement that ends the conflict in Afghanistan.

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun will travel to Moscow April 17-18 to meet with Russian officials to discuss efforts to advance the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.

Four years ago, former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, a leading figure in Russia’s democratic movement, was gunned down outside the walls of the Kremlin.  Although five men were convicted for carrying out his assassination, the United States continues to call on Russian authorities to identify publicly those who organized and ordered the crime, and …

February 11, Special Envoy for North Korea Mark Lambert met with Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and Ambassador Oleg Burmistrov in Moscow to discuss efforts to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. The conversation was candid and constructive. 

Press Statement by Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: On December 4, 2018, the United States announced that the Russian Federation is in material breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, an assessment shared by all NATO Allies. The United States also provided notice that unless Russia returned to full and verifiable compliance in …

We are deeply disturbed by credible reports out of Chechnya about renewed attacks against individuals perceived to be members of the LGBTI community. Civil society groups report that at least 40 individuals have been illegally detained since December, including two who reportedly died in custody after being tortured. We call on Russia to live up …

Department of State Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release Special Briefing January 16, 2019 Moderator: Greetings to everyone from the U.S. European Media Hub in Brussels. I would like to welcome our participants dialing in from across Europe and thank you for waiting for the few extra minutes today for today’s discussion. Our speaker …

Andrea L. Thompson, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security: “Today we held talks with a Russian delegation on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.  In doing so, we are upholding Secretary Pompeo’s commitment to continue to talk with Russian officials to urge Russia to return to full and verifiable compliance with the Treaty before …

Press Statement Robert Palladino Deputy Spokesperson Washington, DC December 10, 2018 Today, on International Human Rights Day, we mark with deep sorrow the passing in Russia of one of the world’s great defenders of human rights, Ludmilla Mikhailovna Alexeeva, who died on December 8 at the age of 91. Until the last, she was a force …

Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad met today with MFA Second Asian Department Director Zamir Kabulov and Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov to discuss supporting an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan. Special Representative Khalilzad reiterated that a resolution to the conflict in Afghanistan can only be achieved through a negotiated political settlement and …

Michael R. Pompeo Secretary of State Washington, DC November 26, 2018   The United States expresses its deep concern over the incident in the Black Sea that occurred November 25 as Ukrainian vessels attempted to transit through the Kerch Strait. Reports that Russian vessels rammed and fired on the Ukrainian ships, injuring Ukrainian crewmen, before …

As Delivered Thank you, Mr. President. This morning I spoke with President Trump and Secretary Pompeo and my statement reflects the concerns at the highest level of the American government. For the past four years, the international community has spoken with a strong, clear, and largely united voice denouncing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The United …

Ambassador James F. Jeffrey, Special Representative for Syria Engagement Interview with RIA Novosti and Kommersant November 21, 2018 RIA Novosti: Yesterday the U.S. announced new sanctions against Iran and Russia for oil shipments to Syria and issued a warning about significant risk of sanctions for those who will engage in such activity in the future. So what are …

November 20, 2018 WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating nine targets in an international network through which the Iranian regime, working with Russian companies, provides millions of barrels of oil to the Syrian government.  The Assad regime, in turn, facilitates the movement of hundreds of …

Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC November 20, 2018 The United States today sanctioned an international network by which the Iranian regime and Russia are providing millions of barrels of oil to the Assad regime in exchange for the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, …

U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release On-the-Record Briefing November 14, 2018 Press Briefing Room MR PALLADINO:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Thank you for coming today.  We have the Secretary of State’s Special Representative for Syria Engagement Ambassador James Jeffrey.  Ambassador Jeffrey will have a few opening comments, and then we will …

Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC September 27, 2018 The text of the following statement on Syria was released by the Governments of Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Begin text: We, the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, the …

Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC September 6, 2018 We, the leaders of France, Germany, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, reiterate our outrage at the use of a chemical nerve agent, known as Novichok, in Salisbury on 4 March. We welcome the progress made in the investigation into the poisoning …

September 5, 2018  For Immediate Release On Friday, September 7, the United States will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council on the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in Idlib, Syria. The session comes as the Assad regime and its backers threaten coordinated military attacks against the city and its civilian residents. “The Trump …

Statement by Heather Nauert, Spokesperson: “The United States condemns Russia’s harassment of international shipping in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. Russia has delayed hundreds of commercial vessels since April and in recent weeks has stopped at least 16 commercial ships attempting to reach Ukrainian ports.”

Press Statement Heather Nauert Department Spokesperson Washington, DC August 21, 2018   Today marks the 100th day of the hunger strike of Oleh Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker who is arbitrarily detained in a remote Russian prison. The United States is deeply concerned about his deteriorating health, and we renew our demand that Russia immediately release …

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Washington, DC August 21, 2018   As delivered Chairman Corker, Ranking Member Menendez, thank you for inviting me to testify today. If you’ll indulge me, I want to start with a piece of welcome news, it’s unrelated to this morning’s testimony. Yesterday, August 20th, the U.S. government removed to Germany, Jakiw …

Following the use of a “Novichok” nerve agent in an attempt to assassinate UK citizen Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal, the United States, on August 6, 2018, determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act) that the Government of the Russian Federation has used chemical …

The United States, the Global Coalition, and local partners, including the Syrian Democratic Forces, are launching operations to liberate the final ISIS strongholds in Syria.

April 16, 2018 Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) released a joint Technical Alert about malicious cyber activity carried out by the Russian Government. The targets of this malicious cyber activity are primarily government and private-sector organisations, critical infrastructure providers, …

Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, delivered remarks at three separate UN Security Council meetings on the use of chemical weapons in Syria that were held in an attempt to respond to the latest chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria.

U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release Media Note April 6, 2018 The U.S. Department of State commemorates the 30th Anniversary of the creation of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NRRC). Established in 1987 with the purpose of opening a communications channel to the USSR to reduce the risk of nuclear …

United States Mission to the OSCE As delivered by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Harry R. Kamian to the Permanent Council, Vienna March 1, 2018 Distinguished colleagues, as I deliver my intervention today, you will see the names of victims who have suffered abuses for speaking out against Russian occupation of Crimea flashed on the screens above …

The United States of America and the Russian Federation have implemented the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START Treaty) for seven years. February 5, 2018 marks the date that the Treaty’s central limits on each country’s strategic nuclear arsenal take effect.

Press Statement Heather Nauert Department Spokesperson Washington, DC January 29, 2018 The United States notes with the highest level of concern the latest incident of unsafe Russian military practices, over the Black Sea on January 29. As confirmed by U.S. Naval Forces Europe, a Russian SU-27 engaged in an unsafe interaction with a U.S. EP-3 …

Spokesperson Nauert: “The United States welcomes yesterday’s exchange between the government of Ukraine and Russia-led forces in eastern Ukraine of more than 300 detainees.  This exchange is one step toward implementation of the Minsk agreements. We once again call on the sides to fully implement their Minsk commitments including through a true “all-for-all” detainee exchange; …

Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon gave an interview to Kommersant daily newspaper on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the INF Treaty.

U.S. Department Of State Office of the Spokesperson For Immediate Release Statement By Secretary Tillerson November 28, 2017 The United States strongly condemns North Korea’s launch of what is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, indiscriminately threatening its neighbors, the region and global stability. The DPRK’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons …

Press Statement Heather Nauert Department Spokesperson Washington, DC November 28, 2017 New Russian legislation that allows the Ministry of Justice to label media outlets as “foreign agents” and to monitor or block certain internet activity presents yet another threat to free media in Russia. Freedom of expression—including speech and media which a government may find …

U.S. Special Representative Volker and Russian Presidential Representative Surkov met in Belgrade on November 13, 2017. It was their third meeting and was a thorough discussion of the current diplomatic state of play concerning efforts to end the war in Donbas. It is not surprising that the United States and Russia have different concepts for …

United States Mission To The United Nations Office of Press and Public Diplomacy For Immediate Release October 19, 2017   The United States has great confidence in the thorough and impartial work of the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), a team led jointly by the United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), …

October 4 – 5, U.S. government representatives from Embassy Moscow and officials from Washington, D.C. will attend the 16th Annual Meeting of the Special Services and Law Enforcement Entities held in Krasnodar, Russia and hosted by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).  The meeting will focus on international law enforcement cooperation and counterterrorism, as well …

Our Nation is heartbroken. We mourn with all whose loved ones were murdered and injured in last night’s horrible tragedy in Las Vegas, Nevada. As we grieve, we pray that God may provide comfort and relief to all those suffering.

U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesperson Statement by Heather Nauert, Spokesperson The United States has fully implemented the decision by the Government of the Russian Federation to reduce the size of our mission in Russia. We believe this action was unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries. In the spirit …

The United States has identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime that would likely result in the mass murder of civilians, including innocent children.  The activities are similar to preparations the regime made before its April 4, 2017 chemical weapons attack.  As we have previously stated, the United States is …

U.S. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert: “The United States condemns the terrorist attacks in Tehran today. We express our condolences to the victims and their families, and send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Iran. The depravity of terrorism has no place in a peaceful, civilized world.”

The United States condemns the cowardly attacks targeting innocent civilians in London this evening. We understand U.K. police are currently treating these as terrorist incidents. The United States stands ready to provide any assistance authorities in the United Kingdom may request. Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of the victims. We wish …

May 31, 2017 The U.S. Mission to Russia is concerned by what appear to be politically-motivated criminal charges against prominent human rights activist and historian Yury Dmitriev.  Mr. Dmitriev is a respected historian whose work has been instrumental in uncovering mass burial sites and founding the Sandarmokh Memorial Complex in Karelia.  We call on Russia …

Heather Nauert, Department Spokesperson: Russia, Turkey, and Iran, at the conference in Astana, announced agreement today on an effort to reduce the violence in certain areas of Syria. The United States was represented at the Astana conference by Acting Assistant Secretary Stuart Jones. We were not a direct participant in the negotiations and are not, …

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 02, 2017 Readout of President Donald J. Trump’s Call with President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation   President Donald J. Trump of the United States and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation spoke today regarding Syria.  President Trump and President Putin …

Acting Spokesperson Mark Toner: Secretary Tillerson phoned Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss his recent trip to Moscow and his message to the Russian leadership that, although the United States is interested in improving relations with Russia, Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine remain an obstacle. The Secretary emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s continued progress on …