Kerry Confronts Putin on Harassment of Diplomats

Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about harassment of U.S. diplomats stationed in Moscow, a problem that has reportedly worsened over the past two years. A spokesman at State on Monday declined to give details on specific incidents, but said “We see an increase and we take it seriously,” adding that U.S. diplomats stationed throughout Europe had reported similar intimidation tactics by Russian intelligence services. The Cold War-era harassment has seen at least one diplomats’ tires slashed and several reported break-ins of diplomats’ homes, allegedly by Russian agents, since U.S.-Russia relations took a nosedive in 2014, according to The Washington Post.