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Alexander VershbowAmerican diplomat
Date of Birth: 03.07.1952
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Alexander Vershbow: A Distinguished American Diplomat
- Diplomatic Career
- Staff member, U.S. Embassy in London
- Permanent Representative of the United States to NATO (1998-2001)
- Assistant Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary General of NATO
- Post-NATO Career
- Personal Life and Awards
Alexander Vershbow: A Distinguished American Diplomat
Early Life and EducationAlexander Vershbow, an American diplomat, was born and raised in the United States. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Russian and East European Studies from Yale University in 1974. In 1976, he completed a Master's degree in International Relations and a Certificate of the Russian Institute from Columbia University.
Diplomatic Career
Vershbow entered the diplomatic service in 1977. He served as Third Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 1979 to 1981. Throughout his career, he held various positions, including:
Director of Soviet Affairs, U.S. Department of State (late 1980s - early 1990s)
Advisor to the U.S. Delegation, Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Negotiations in Geneva
Staff member, U.S. Embassy in London
Senior Positions in Diplomatic CorpsVershbow progressed through the diplomatic ranks, assuming several senior positions:
Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d'Affaires, U.S. Mission to NATO (1991-1993)
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs (NATO) (1993-1994)
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs, National Security Council (1994-1997)
Permanent Representative of the United States to NATO (1998-2001)
AmbassadorshipsVershbow served as Ambassador to Russia from 2001 to 2005 and Ambassador to South Korea from 2005 to 2008. During his time in South Korea, he maintained a hard line toward North Korea, labeling the regime as "criminal."
Assistant Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary General of NATO
In 2009, Vershbow became Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security. From 2012 to 2016, he served as Deputy Secretary General of NATO, becoming the first American to hold the position.
Post-NATO Career
After leaving NATO, Vershbow has remained active in diplomacy and international relations. He has urged the U.S. Congress to complicate the process of lifting sanctions on Russia.
Personal Life and Awards
Vershbow is married to Lisa Vershbow, a member of the Washington Guild of Goldsmiths and the Society of North American Goldsmiths. They have two sons, Benjamin (an actor) and Gregory (a biologist). Vershbow has received numerous awards for his diplomatic service, including the State Department's Superior Honor Award (2001), the Joseph J. Kruzel Award for Diplomacy (1997), and the Anatoly Shcharansky Freedom Award (1990).
