John F. Tefft

John F. Tefft
John F. Tefft
8th United States Ambassador to Russia
	In office; November 19, 2014 – September 28, 2017
President	Barack Obama; Donald Trump
Preceded by	Michael McFaul
Succeeded by	Jon Huntsman Jr.
7th United States Ambassador to Ukraine
	In office; December 7, 2009 – July 29, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	William Taylor
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Pyatt
United States Ambassador to Georgia
	In office; August 23, 2005 – September 9, 2009
President	George W. Bush; Barack Obama
Preceded by	Richard Miles
Succeeded by	John Bass
United States Ambassador to Lithuania
	In office; August 30, 2000 – May 10, 2003
President	Bill Clinton; George W. Bush
Preceded by	Keith C. Smith
Succeeded by	Stephen Mull
Personal details
Born	August 16, 1949 (age 72); Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Mariella Cellitti Tefft
Children	2
Education	Marquette University (BA); Georgetown University (MA)

John F. Tefft (born August 16, 1949) is an American diplomat who has served as a Foreign Service Officer since 1972. He was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Russia on July 31, 2014.^[1] He has previously served as the United States' ambassador to Russia, Ukraine,^[2] Georgia, and Lithuania.

Early life and education[]

Tefft was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University and a Master of Arts in history from Georgetown University.^[3]

Career[]

Tefft is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the personal rank of Minister-Counselor. He joined the United States Foreign Service in 1972 and has served in Jerusalem, Budapest, Rome, Moscow, Vilnius, Tbilisi, and Kyiv.^{[citation needed]}

Until his appointment as ambassador to Georgia, he was the deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs since July 6, 2004. Tefft also served as International Affairs Advisor (Deputy Commandant) of the National War College in Washington, D.C. From 2000 to 2003, he was the United States Ambassador to Lithuania. He served as deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 1996 to 1999 (when Pickering was Ambassador), and was chargé d'affaires at the Embassy from November 1996 to September 1997.^{[citation needed]} Tefft served as Director of the Office of Northern European Affairs from 1992 to 1994, Deputy Director of the Office of Soviet Union (later Russian and CIS) Affairs from 1989 to 1992, and Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome from 1986 to 1989. His other foreign assignments included Budapest and Jerusalem, as well as service on the U.S. delegation to the START I arms control negotiations in 1985.^{[citation needed]}

Ambassador to Ukraine[]

On September 30, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Tefft as the ambassador to Ukraine^[4] and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 20, 2009.^[5]

Tefft arrived in Ukraine on December 2, 2009^[5] and President Viktor Yushchenko accepted Tefft's credentials of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on December 7, 2009.^{[citation needed]} The Ambassador expressed his hope for fruitful cooperation. Tefft delivered his speech in Ukrainian.^[6]

On February 26, 2013, President Obama nominated Geoffrey R. Pyatt to succeed Tefft as Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine.^[7] Pyatt was sworn in on July 30, 2013 and arrived in Ukraine on August 3, 2013.^[2]

Ambassador to Russia[]

In July 2014, President Obama nominated Tefft as the United States Ambassador to Russia in Moscow, after receiving Russia's approval.^[8] The Senate confirmed Tefft in a voice vote on July 31, 2014.^[9] The confirmation followed several attempts as a number of ambassadorial appointments were being held up at the time. Strained relations with Russia over pro-separatist activity in eastern Ukraine, the country's annexation of Crimea, and the alleged shooting down of a commercial airliner, prompted senators to finally approve the nomination. He presented his credentials to President Vladimir Putin on November 19, 2014^[10] and left the position on September 28, 2017.^[11]

In 2016, the Russian governor of the Samara Oblast, Nikolay Merkushkin, advised AvtoVAZagregat employees for help in paying wages and appeals to US Ambassador John Tefft.^[12]^[13]

Awards[]

Tefft has received a number of awards, including the State Department Distinguished Honor Award in 1992 and the DCM of the Year Award for his service in Moscow in 1999. He received Presidential Meritorious Service Awards in 2001 and 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life[]

Tefft is married to Mariella Cellitti Tefft, a biostatistician and nurse. They have two daughters, Christine, a lawyer at the State Department and Cathleen, a program analyst at the National Endowment for the Humanities.

References[]

^ Itkowitz, Colby. "Senate confirms nominee to be ambassador to Russia". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Yanukovych accepts credentials from new US ambassador, discusses with him Ukrainian-US relations, Interfax-Ukraine (August 15, 2013)
^ "Wisconsin native and savvy diplomat Tefft picked for Russia ambassador". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^ Ex- US ambassador to Georgia John Tefft to lead diplomatic mission in Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (September 30, 2009)
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b New U.S. ambassador Tefft arrives in Kyiv, Interfax-Ukraine (December 2, 2009)
^ Yushchenko accepted credentials of US Ambassador and Ambassador of Turkey to Ukraine, UNIAN (December 7, 2009)
^ Office of the Press Secretary (February 26, 2013). "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2013 – via National Archives.
^ "Obama's new man in Moscow is former ambassador to Crimea". Moscow News.Net. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^ "SENATE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS". www.periodicalpress.senate.gov. June 28, 2018.
^ "Ambassador Tefft Presents Predentials to President Putin". Embassy of the United States, Moscow. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
^ "Американский посол Теффт улетел из Москвы до назначения преемника" (in Russian). Interfax. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
^ Samara Governor Merkushkin advised AvtoVAZ employees to ask the US ambassador for a salary
^ There was a record of threats by the governor Merkushkin to deprive AvtoVAZagregat salaries

External links[]

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by	United States Ambassador to Lithuania 2000–2003	Succeeded by Stephen Mull
Preceded by Richard Miles	United States Ambassador to Georgia 2005–2009	Succeeded by John Bass
Preceded by William Taylor	United States Ambassador to Ukraine 2009–2013	Succeeded by Geoffrey Pyatt
Preceded by Michael McFaul	United States Ambassador to Russia 2014–2017	Succeeded by Jon Huntsman Jr.

[1] Itkowitz, Colby. "Senate confirms nominee to be ambassador to Russia". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 August 2014.

[newUBUGPIU15813-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Yanukovych accepts credentials from new US ambassador, discusses with him Ukrainian-US relations, Interfax-Ukraine (August 15, 2013)

[3] "Wisconsin native and savvy diplomat Tefft picked for Russia ambassador". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.

[4] Ex- US ambassador to Georgia John Tefft to lead diplomatic mission in Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (September 30, 2009)

[Tefft-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b New U.S. ambassador Tefft arrives in Kyiv, Interfax-Ukraine (December 2, 2009)

[ITUhouse-6] Yushchenko accepted credentials of US Ambassador and Ambassador of Turkey to Ukraine, UNIAN (December 7, 2009)

[TWH_20130226-7] Office of the Press Secretary (February 26, 2013). "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved September 10, 2013 – via National Archives.

[TefftRussia-8] "Obama's new man in Moscow is former ambassador to Crimea". Moscow News.Net. Retrieved July 11, 2014.

[9] "SENATE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS". www.periodicalpress.senate.gov. June 28, 2018.

[10] "Ambassador Tefft Presents Predentials to President Putin". Embassy of the United States, Moscow. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.

[11] "Американский посол Теффт улетел из Москвы до назначения преемника" (in Russian). Interfax. Retrieved September 28, 2017.

[12] Samara Governor Merkushkin advised AvtoVAZ employees to ask the US ambassador for a salary

[13] There was a record of threats by the governor Merkushkin to deprive AvtoVAZagregat salaries

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show v t United States Ambassadors to Russia
Russian Empire (1780–1917)	Dana Adams Pinkney Campbell Middleton Randolph Buchanan Wilkins J. Clay Dallas Cambreleng Todd Ingersoll Bagby Brown Seymour Pickens Appleton C. Clay Cameron C. Clay Curtin Orr Jewell Boker Stoughton Foster Hunt Taft Lothrop Tree C. Smith White Breckinridge Hitchcock Tower McCormick Meyer Riddle Rockhill Guild Marye Francis
Soviet Union (1933–1991)	Bullitt Davies Steinhardt Standley Harriman W. Smith Kirk Kennan Bohlen Thompson Kohler Thompson Beam Dubs Stoessel Toon Watson Hartman Matlock Strauss
Russian Federation (1991–present)	Strauss Pickering Collins Vershbow Burns Beyrle McFaul Tefft Huntsman Sullivan

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