John F. Tefft (born August 16, 1949) is an American diplomat who has served as a Foreign Service Officer since 1972. He was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Russia on July 31, 2014. He had previously served as the United States' ambassador to Ukraine, Georgia, and Lithuania. Early life and education Tefft was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University and a Master of Arts in history from Georgetown University. Career Tefft is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the personal rank of Minister-Counselor. He joined the United States Foreign Service in 1972 and has served in Jerusalem, Budapest, Rome, Moscow, Vilnius, Tbilisi, and Kyiv. Until his appointment as ambassador to Georgia, he was the deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs since July 6, 2004. Tefft also served as International Affairs Advisor (Deputy Commandant) of the National War College in Washington, D.C. From 2000 to 2003, he was the United States Ambassador to Lithuania. He served as deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 1996 to 1999 (when Pickering was ambassador), and was chargé d'affaires at the Embassy from November 1996 to September 1997. Tefft served as Director of the Office of Northern European Affairs from 1992 to 1994, Deputy Director of the Office of Soviet Union (later Russian and CIS) Affairs from 1989 to 1992, and Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome from 1986 to 1989. His other foreign assignments included Budapest and Jerusalem, as well as service on the U.S. delegation to the START I arms control negotiations in 1985. Ambassador to Ukraine On September 30, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Tefft as the ambassador to Ukraine. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 20, 2009. Tefft arrived in Ukraine on December 2, 2009, and President Viktor Yushchenko accepted Tefft's credentials of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on December 7, 2009. The ambassador expressed his hope for fruitful cooperation. Tefft delivered his speech in Ukrainian. On February 26, 2013, President Obama nominated Geoffrey R. Pyatt to succeed Tefft as Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine. Pyatt was sworn in on July 30, 2013, and arrived in Ukraine on August 3, 2013. Ambassador to Russia In July 2014, President Obama nominated Tefft as the United States Ambassador to Russia in Moscow, after receiving Russia's approval.