The Russian ambassador to the United States has encountered such an icy reception in Washington, D.C. that he resorted to writing a letter to the most senior senator on Capitol Hill asking for help.
According to Politico, Anatoly Antonov sent a letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, earlier this month.
"I would be very grateful for your advice on how to develop contacts with members of U.S. Congress, departments, and agencies, as well as for your possible assistance in setting up such meetings," Antonov wrote.
With the ongoing Russia investigation and accusations that some lawmakers, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions when he was a senator, failed to disclose meetings with Russians in recent years, a bout of "Russophobia" has overtaken the nation's capital. Many are timid to meet, either publicly or privately, with anyone associated with the Russian government.
Antonov has met with Hatch at least once. In his letter, he listed White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and others who have turned down his offers to meet.
"A lot of meeting requests with the leadership of U.S. agencies and members of Congress were either left without a response, or simply refused under no pretext," he wrote.
Tensions between the U.S. and Russia grew frostier this week over allegations that the Russian government conducted a nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent in England. Several western countries, the U.S. included, expelled Russian diplomats in response.
Russia fired back by ordering diplomats from the U.S. and the other countries to leave its borders.
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