Washington, Ramadan 14, 1435, Jul 11, 2014, SPA -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday he is returning to service a career diplomat deeply experienced in eastern Europe to be the next U.S. ambassador to Russia. Obama's announcement that he is nominating John Tefft for the high-profile post comes during a crucial period in U.S.-Russia relations, which have been severely tested over President Vladimir Putin's actions in neighboring Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has been without an ambassador since February. --SPA 14:48 LOCAL TIME 11:48 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w