Secretary of State John Kerry last discussed the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 24, according to State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau. Other Western embassies had reported the same behavior toward their diplomats stationed in Moscow, Trudeau added. Story highlights John Kerry discussed the matter with Vladimir Putin this springRussian officials have charged that Americans have also engaged in problematic behaviorWashington (CNN) Washington has delivered high-level complaints to Moscow about accusations of increasing intimidation of American diplomats in Russia, the State Department said on Monday. Trudeau said that harassment of diplomats by Russian security agents and traffic police had been an issue over the past two years but did not detail any incidents nor why Kerry brought up the matter with Putin. "We see an increase and we take it seriously," she told reporters at a press briefing.

Source: CNN June 27, 2016 23:03 UTC