Tag: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)

NEW YORK (Sputnik) - Nikki Haley who served as US Ambassador to the United Nations is a young and experienced politician with a future in the industry, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia told reporters on the occasion of the Russian Diplomat Day, celebrated on February 10. "I do not know what she is doing at this time, she said that she plans to work in a think tank and travel across the United States to give lectures," the ambassador added. Haley, who is also former governor of the US state of South Carolina, left her post in the Trump administration at the end of 2018. US President Donald Trump subsequently announced that he planned to nominate Heather Nauert, who is currently serving as the US State Department's spokeswoman, to replace Haley on the position. Work at United Nations Working at the United Nations is an exciting and unpredictable mission, Vassily Nebenzia said, adding that he had no regrets about assuming the post. The envoy noted that he did not regret his decision to assume the important post after the death of late Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin, who passed away in 2017. READ MORE: United Nations Holding Tribute to Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan "I did not exactly doubt; I took a pause, which the minister [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov] kindly provided me with, to reflect. I thought, consulted, came around and said that under different circumstances, I might have thought about that three times, but at that moment I had no right to refuse," the diplomat continued. Nebenzia also noted that Churkin's excellent reputation at the United Nations had helped him when he was assuming the post. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree appointing Nebenzia as Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations and the UN Security Council on July 27, 2017.

Whelan, 48, who is head of global security for a Michigan-based auto parts supplier, was arrested on Friday. "His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected." David Whelan said in an interview that his brother had been to Russia several times previously, so when a fellow former Marine was planning a wedding in Moscow with a Russian woman he was asked to come along to help out. "It was extraordinarily out of character," he said. "I was looking for any stories about dead Americans in Moscow, so in a way it was better than finding out that he had died," he said. David Whelan said the family was told by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow they have not been able to speak to Paul Whelan. David Whelan said he has no idea why his brother was targeted by the Russian security services. Paul Whelan did multiple tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps, his brother said. She said BorgWarner does not have any facilities in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed the case is fabricated and that Butina entered the guilty plea because of the threat of a long prison sentence.

MOSCOW, March 17. London used the codename Novichok for a military grade nerve agent that poisoned former GRU colonel Sergei Skripal, who was sentenced in Russia for spying for the United Kingdom, so as to evoke associations with Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Rossiya’24 TV channel on Saturday. "The UK prime minister does not possess a formula. "And the name began circulating in the media right afterwards.". Nobody has information about either whereabouts of former GRU military intelligence Colonel Sergei Skripal, exposed to a nerve agent on March 4, or his condition, Maria Zakharova said. "No-one, but the people who have classified all the information in the United Kingdom, are aware of his condition. No-one knows where he is and what the matter is with him," she said. The United Kingdom has handed no information to Russia on circumstances behind poisoning of Sergei Skripal, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman said. "Russia has never received any information from London through any channel. Either an international agency’s channel or any diplomatic channel," she said.