Russian President Vladimir Putin's government has ordered its ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, to return his mother country.
BuzzFeed News first confirmed on Sunday that Kislyak was being recalled to Russia.
“He could use some time away,” one diplomat reportedly told the outlet.
Kislyak's name has repeatedly come up during the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was fired by President Donald Trump after he lied about a discussion with the ambassador on easing sanctions against Russia.
Attorney General Jeff Session was later forced to recuse himself from the Russia investigation after he failed to disclose multiple meetings with Kislyak. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has also come under scrutiny for his meetings with the diplomat.
