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Alexander Darchiev

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Alexander Darchiev
Александр Дарчиев
Darchiev in 2025
Russian Ambassador to the United States
In office
6 March 2025 – 11 November 2026
PresidentVladimir Putin
Preceded byAnatoly Antonov
Russian Ambassador to Canada
In office
24 October 2014 – 11 January 2021
PresidentVladimir Putin
Preceded byGeorgiy Mamedov
Succeeded byOleg Stepanov
Personal details
Born(1960-05-14)14 May 1960
Budapest, Hungary
Died11 November 2026(2026-11-11) (aged 66)
Moscow, Russia
EducationMoscow State University

Alexander Nikitich Darchiev (Russian: Александр Никитич Дарчиев; 14 May 1960 – 11 November 2026) was a Russian diplomat and historian who was the Russian ambassador to the United States from 2025 until his death in 2026. He previously served as ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021.

Early life and education

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Alexander Darchiev was born on 14 May 1960 to the family of a diplomat in Hungary.[1] He studied history at Moscow State University Faculty of History, graduating in 1983, and learned to speak fluent English and French.[2][3] Darchiev was a fellow at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies at the Soviet Academy of Sciences during the 1980s,[1][3] before joining the Russian Foreign Ministry in 1992, just after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He worked in its North America Department for his entire career.[1][2]

Diplomatic career

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Darchiev was the head of a section in the North America Department of the Foreign Ministry in the mid-1990s, before he became an advisor at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.[1][4] In 2003 he was made the Deputy Director of the North America Department.[4] He later served as the deputy chief of mission of the Russian Embassy to the U.S. from 2005 to 2010 with the rank of minister-counselor.[1][4] Darchiev was the Director of the North America Department from 2010 to 2014,[5] before serving as the Russian Ambassador to Canada from 24 October 2014 to 11 January 2021.[2][3] Since 2016 he held the Russian civil service rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.[6] Following his tenure as ambassador to Canada, he again served as the Director of the North America Department.[2][3]

After Anatoly Antonov was relieved of his duties as ambassador to the United States in October 2024, the following month it was reported that Darchiev has been nominated for the role, though he was not officially confirmed.[2][7]

On 27 February 2025, six weeks after the beginning of Trump's second presidency, Darchiev led the Russian delegation in talks between the United States and Russia that took place in Istanbul, Turkey, which were a continuation of the earlier negotiations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They discussed the restoration of Russia–United States relations, including by removing restrictions on their embassies.[8] At the meeting, the U.S. delegation gave a note to the Russian side accepting Darchiev's appointment as Russian ambassador to the United States.[7] The following day, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Darchiev had been named ambassador after his nomination was accepted by the U.S. government.[9] He was formally appointed by President Vladimir Putin on 6 March 2025 per presidential decree № 121.[10][11] Darchiev arrived in Washington, D.C. on 26 March 2025 and informally presented his credentials to the Department of State the following day.[12][13] He presented his credentials to President Donald Trump on 11 June.[14]

In December 2025, Darchiev declined an invitation to testify before the United States Senate at a hearing concerning Russia's abduction and forced transfer of Ukrainian children.[15][16]

Views

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Darchiev issued strong denunciations of the United States and the West prior to being named ambassador.[17]

After the 2022 full scale invasion of Ukraine, Darchiev called the war a "necessary measure"[18], echoing Russian disinformation about the genocide of Russian speakers in Ukraine as justification.[19]

In 2025, after becoming ambassador, he was in favor of direct flights from Russia to the United States.[20]

Death

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Darchiev died in Moscow on 11 November 2026, at the age of 66.[21][22] Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that he had died following a "chronic illness".[23]

Awards

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Creskey, Jim (28 January 2015). "Russian Ambassador to Canada Alexander Darchiev gave an interview to the "Embassy magazine"". Russian Embassy to Canada.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Russia likely to name Darchiyev as ambassador to Washington, Kommersant newspaper says". Al Arabiya. 24 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Teslova, Elena (28 February 2025). "PROFILE - Who is Russia's new ambassador to US?". Anadolu Agency.
  4. 1 2 3 Dombitskaya, Anastasia; Chernenko, Yelena (24 November 2024). "Нового посла снаряжают в Вашингтон" [New ambassador will be sent to Washington]. Kommersant (in Russian).
  5. ↑ "Умер посол России в США Александр Дарчиев" [Ambassador of Russia to the USA Alexander Darchiev dies] (in Russian). Deutsche Welle. 11 November 2026. Retrieved 11 November 2026.
  6. ↑ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 10.02.2016 № 55 "О присвоении дипломатических рангов"" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation from 10.02.2016 No. 55 "On the assignment of diplomatic ranks"]. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Russia receives agreement for appointment of Darchiev as Russian ambassador to U.S." Interfax. 28 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "U.S.-Russia Delegations Meet in Istanbul on February 27". U.S. Embassy in Russia. 27 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "Russia Names New Ambassador to US After Istanbul Talks". Agence France-Presse. 28 February 2025 – via Barron's.
  10. ↑ "Putin, mending ties with US, names veteran diplomat Darchiev as new ambassador". Reuters. 6 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "ДАРЧИЕВ Александр Никитич назначен Чрезвычайным и Полномочным Послом Российской Федерации в Соединенных Штатах Америки и Постоянным наблюдателем Российской Федерации при Организации американских государств в Вашингтоне, Соединенные Штаты Америки, по совместительству". Mid.ru. March 26, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Новый посол РФ в США заявил об «окне возможностей» в двусторонних отношениях". Ведомости (in Russian). 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2026-11-12.
  13. ↑ Ward, Jasper; Ward, Jasper (2025-03-27). "New Russian envoy to US to present credentials on Thursday, State Department says". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-11-12.
  14. ↑ "New Russian ambassador tells Trump he will work to restore relations". Reuters. 2025-06-12. Retrieved 2026-11-12.
  15. ↑ Jonathan Ernst (3 December 2025). "A U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee holds a hearing on the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia on Capitol Hill in Washington". Reuters Connect. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  16. ↑ Heuer, Mike (3 December 2025). "Senators: Hold Russia accountable for abducting Ukrainian children". United Press International. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  17. ↑ "New Russian ambassador tells Trump he will work to restore relations". Reuters. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  18. ↑ "Russia's ambassador to the United States dies aged 66". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 11 November 2026. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  19. ↑ "Russian ambassador to US dies suddenly after suffering chronic illness, foreign ministry says". CNN. 11 November 2026. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  20. ↑ "Russia to raise resumption of direct flights at talks with US in Istanbul, TASS says". Reuters. 9 April 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  21. ↑ "Alexander Darchiev, Russian ambassador to US, dies at 66". Interfax. 2026-11-11. Retrieved 2026-11-11.
  22. ↑ Haq, Sana Noor (2026-11-11). "Russian ambassador to US dies suddenly after suffering chronic illness, foreign ministry says". CNN. Retrieved 2026-11-11.
  23. ↑ "Russian ambassador to US dies, foreign ministry says". Reuters. 2026-11-11. Retrieved 2026-11-12.
  24. ↑ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 30.12.2022 № 980 «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации»" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation from 30.12.2022 No. 980 "On the awarding of state awards of the Russian Federation"]. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022.
  25. ↑ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 23.08.2019 г. № 392 "О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации"" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation from 23.08.2019 No. 392 "On the awarding of state awards of the Russian Federation"]. Administration of the President of Russia. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021.
  26. ↑ "ДАРЧИЕВ Александр Никитич назначен Чрезвычайным и Полномочным Послом Российской Федерации в Соединенных Штатах Америки и Постоянным наблюдателем Российской Федерации при Организации американских государств в Вашингтоне, Соединенные Штаты Америки, по совместительству". www.mid.ru (in Russian). 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
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