The United States has refused to issue a visa to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov, who was scheduled to attend open debates of the UN Security Council.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya on Tuesday said the Russian delegation had been invited by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with Beijing currently holding the rotating presidency of the Security Council since May 1.
He claimed Moscow views the decision as “not only a violation of Washington’s obligations” but also as “a blatant disrespect for China’s presidency.”
The visa refusal comes amid a complex backdrop in US-Russia diplomatic contacts, which have seen periods of cautious engagement following Donald Trump’s return to the White House for a second term.
In recent months, Trump’s special envoys have made several visits to Moscow, and Washington temporarily lifted sanctions on Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, enabling the State Department to issue him a visa.
Dmitriev has since traveled to the United States multiple times and met with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff.
Despite these contacts, Russian officials continue to face intermittent visa denials for UN-related travel.