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Huntsman heads to Russia to tackle Mideast, China

New US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr., a seasoned diplomat and no close friend of President Donald Trump, has his work cut out for him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) looks at Jon Huntsman, the U.S. new ambassador to Russia, who walks after presenting his diplomatic credentials, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (2nd R) seen nearby, during a ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia October 3, 2017. REUTERS/Pavel Golovkin/Pool - UP1EDA30VTC0E
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MOSCOW — As veteran diplomat Jon Huntsman Jr. assumes his new role as US ambassador to Russia this month, he faces a thicket of thorny issues separating the countries.

Many Russian officials see Huntsman’s appointment as an attempt by US President Donald Trump to shield himself from criticism he faces for appointing “Russia-friendly” officials to high-level positions amid the resignation scandal of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

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