WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday released the following statement after meeting with Ambassador Lynne Tracy, nominee for Ambassador to Russia:

“Maintaining clear communication channels with Russia is critical to our efforts to prevent further escalation in Ukraine and to advocate on behalf of U.S. citizens who are being wrongfully detained. I was glad to meet with Ambassador Tracy to discuss the essential role she will play at our embassy in Moscow and the importance of continued U.S. support for Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression. We also discussed the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine in the South Caucasus, where Ambassador Tracy has spent the past three years serving in Armenia. She is eminently qualified for this post, and her swift confirmation is more important than ever,” said Murphy.

Earlier this week, Murphy spoke at a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on U.S. policy in the Caucasus.

###