Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008. He was also the Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012.
Gay Man Rufus Gifford Confirmed as State Department Protocol Chief
more than 30 nominees, many of them for ambassadorial positions, confirmed that day, the Associated Press reports.The chief of protocol serves as a liaison between the president and leaders of other countries. “For example, Gifford would likely be a point person for any meeting between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, making an openly gay man the face of the United States for a country in talks with a leader who has rolled back LGBTQ rights and looked the other way from violence against LGBTQ people in Chechnya,” the Washington Blade notes.In a January interview with The Advocate, Gifford lauded Biden’s foreign policy expertise.
