MOSCOW, September 3 (RIA Novosti) — American diplomat John Tefft was sworn in by US Secretary of State John Kerry as the new US ambassador to the Russian Federation.
John F. Tefft was born in 1949 in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a Master of Arts from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
He started his diplomatic career in 1972 with the US State Department.
In 1985, he served as a US representative in arms control negotiations.
From 1986-1989, Tefft served as counselor for military and political affairs to the US ambassador in Rome, Italy.
In 1989-1992 he headed the State Department’s office on the Soviet Union (subsequently Russia and the CIS).
In 1992-1994, Tefft served as director of the State Department’s Office of Northern European Affairs.
From 1996 to 1999, Tefft was the US Embassy in Russia’s deputy head of mission; from November 1996 to September 1997 he was charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in Moscow.
In 2000-2003, Tefft served as US ambassador to Lithuania.
In 2003-2004, he was counselor for political and military affairs at the National War College in Washington, DC.
In 2004-2005, Tefft served as deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs. In this capacity he was responsible for US relations with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.
In 2005-2009, Tefft served as US ambassador to Georgia.
From November 2009 to July 2013, he served as US ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Ukraine.
In late June 2014 the US State Department officially appointed John Tefft as the new head of the US diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation.
On July 9, the Kremlin formally approved his appointment.
On September 2, the US Secretary of State John Kerry administered an oath on Tefft in Washington DC, officially making him US new envoy to Russia.
Tefft received the State Department Distinguished Honor Award (1992), DCM of the Year Award for his service at the US Embassy in Moscow in 1999 and Presidential Meritorious Service Awards in 2001 and 2005.
In 2012, he was awarded the Diplomacy in Human Rights Award.
Tefft is married and has two daughters.
