Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, was summoned Wednesday by the nation’s foreign ministry for questioning about a spy debacle that heated this week.
Russia has accused a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Ryan Fogle, of acting as a spy for the Central Intelligence Agency, The Associated Press reported. Specifically, they allege he was attempting to recruit a Russian intelligence agent to work for the United States. On Tuesday, Russian authorities discovered Mr. Fogle carting special technical equipment, disguises, a large sum of cash and written instructions for the targeted Russian recruit. Russia subsequently turned Mr. Fogle over to American authorities.
Early Wednesday — and without saying a word to waiting journalists — Mr. McFaul went inside the foreign ministry building in Moscow and left 30 minutes later, AP reported.
No other details of the meeting are known, AP said.
The brief detention of Mr. Fogle over spy accusations — the first time an American diplomat has been publicly charged with the act in more than a decade, AP reported — has stressed U.S.-Russia relations further.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.