A top Kremlin official told the United States ambassador to Moscow to behave more diplomatically on Tuesday as the envoy was slapped down over a controversial speech to Russian students. President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters that Michael McFaul should not disrupt efforts by the two countries’ leaders to improve relations, accusing him of instead sowing “discord”. “I was an ambassador in the US for almost 10 years,” Ushakov said. “The principle that I followed, it’s quite simple and is followed by practically all ambassadors: they should defend the interests of their country positively.” “The leadership of both countries is aiming for constructive mutual work, and… ambassadors should act in the same spirit and not bring discord into the work of their own leadership.” “One should not try to be undiplomatic, but try to be diplomatic,” Ushakov said. “This will help him.”
