Armenian analyst comments on decision to recall U.S. ambassador

The recent recall of Kristina Kvien as the U.S. ambassador to Armenia was unlikely driven by political tensions between President Donald Trump’s team and appointees of former President Joe Biden, Armenian international relations expert Suren Sargsyan said on Thursday.

Sargsyan was commenting on reports that the Trump administration decided late last year to recall around 30 U.S. ambassadors worldwide, including the envoy to Armenia, about a month before the end of her term. Speculation had suggested the move was linked to the ambassador being viewed as aligned with Biden’s team or being at odds with Trump’s political circle.

According to Sargsyan, the United States has roughly 200 ambassadorial posts worldwide, about half of which are currently vacant, not including the 30 recent recalls. He noted that around 75 ambassadors appointed by Biden continue to serve, making it unlikely that the recalls represent a systematic effort to remove diplomats loyal to the Biden administration.

“Political loyalty is characteristic of politically appointed ambassadors, not career diplomats,” Sargsyan wrote on Facebook, adding that career envoys do not engage in partisan politics and operate strictly within the diplomatic service.

He also said there were no signs of dissatisfaction within the State Department with the performance of the U.S. ambassador in Armenia. Ambassadors do not act against their government’s policy line and are quickly removed if they do, Sargsyan noted, citing the earlier case of former U.S. Ambassador John Evans.

Sargsyan said it was more likely that the reasons for the recalls vary by country, and that in Armenia’s case the decision may be linked not to the ambassador’s work in Yerevan, but to her previous posting in a country that remains a focus of Trump’s attention.