On August 4, 2018, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Steven Seagal had been appointed as a special representative in charge of “Russian-US humanitarian ties.”
According to the Ministry, Seagal — who was awarded Russian citizenship in 2016 by Russian President Vladimir Putin — will be tasked with facilitating “relations between Russia and the United States in the humanitarian field.” This will include “cooperation in culture, arts, public and youth exchanges” as well as “building a more positive atmosphere in bilateral affairs.”
“It is expected that in his new role, Steven Seagal will assist in the development and implementation of various projects for bilateral cooperation in the field of culture, arts, science, education, sports, public and youth exchanges, as well as participate in respective events in Russia and abroad, and maintain contacts with partners in the United States,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on its official Facebook page.