Michael McFaul

Effective diplomacy requires both engagement and pressure. The Trump administration has favoured engagement with Moscow, and it hasn’t worked. Only when Ukraine can stop Putin on the battlefield will he have any incentive to negotiate. As I told @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social

Putin launched Europe’s biggest war since WWII — killing civilians, kidnapping children, and eliminating political opponents. Yet Mr. Witkoff says he’s “not a bad guy.” Diplomacy requires engaging with dictators, but that doesn't mean we have to check our values at the door.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul tackles one of the most debated questions in geopolitics: are we entering a new Cold War? Drawing on firsthand experience with world leaders, he… Why This Isn't a New Cold War | Michael McFaul | TEDxMidAtlantic

Got 15 minutes? Check out my recent TEDx talk: Why This Isn’t a New Cold War

Chamberlain did not win a Nobel Peace Prize.

The Russian plan is a non-starter. No Ukrainian leader could sign it and survive politically. Europe is exploring alternative ideas, but even a reasonable compromise sent to Moscow will likely be rejected. Putin is the one who wants to keep fighting. As I told @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social

Trump does not care about Ukrainian sovereignty or democracy. Trump does not frame this war as one between good vs evil, democrats vs autocrats, or the colonized vs the imperialists. He just wants the war to end so he can take credit. The details don't matter to him at all.

Someone very close to Putin once explained to me that Putin thinks that all Westerners can be bought. We have no values; only a price. Dmitriev's prominent role in drafting the latest "peace plan" underscores that Putin assessment. I hope Putin is wrong. I fear for some, he might be right.

'Does not serve American interests': Ex-ambassador bashes Trump's 'egregious' peace plan A former U.S. ambassador to Russia bashed the latest peace plan for Russia's war in Ukraine offered by President Donald Trump, arguing that it "reveals American weakness" and does not serve the countr...

'Does not serve American interests': Ex-ambassador bashes Trump's 'egregious' peace plan

www.rawstory.com/ukraine-war-...

On December 8th, I'm giving my last book talk of the year in the Bay Area at Stanford University. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required due to limited seating. Details here: fsi.stanford.edu/events/book-...

On December 8th, I'm giving my last book talk of the year in the Bay Area at Stanford University. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required due to limited seating. Details here: fsi.stanford.edu/events/book-...

Putin’s plan for Ukrainian surrender does not serve American national interests Ukrainians and their democratically elected leaders will have to assess how to deal with Putin’s latest 28-point proposal for Ukrainian surrender — sometimes referred to as “Trump’s peace plan.” It’s...

kyivindependent.com/putins-plan-...

Trump Is Once Again Acting as Putin’s Agent And that pivot does not serve American national interests.

My latest on Putin's 28-point plan for Ukrainian capitulation:

Trump Is Once Again Acting as Putin’s Agent
open.substack.com/pub/michaelm...

Trump Is Once Again Acting as Putin’s Agent And that pivot does not serve American national interests.

Trump Is Once Again Acting as Putin’s Agent
open.substack.com/pub/michaelm...

Calling Putin “transactional” misses the mark. He’s an ideological autocrat who has heavily invested in exporting illiberal nationalist populism across Europe & the U.S. What he fears most is democracy thriving in Ukraine. Any negotiation with him must start from that reality.

I’ve been in a room with Putin. He calls Ukrainians “Russians with accents.” His real fear isn’t NATO expansion, it’s democracy expansion. It shatters his entire argument for dictatorship at home. Because if Ukrainians embrace freedom, Russians may demand the same.

The Trump decision to boycott the G20 does not advance American interests. Trumps disdain for multilateralism weakens American influence in the world.

Trump (and Witkoff and Kushner) is tragically acting like Putins agent again. This is not America First. This is Russia First.

I worry that if Putin prevails in Ukraine, our NATO allies could be tested next. That risks dragging us into a far bigger conflict. From my recent conversation on Firing Line with Margaret Hoover.

Caving to Putin isn’t strength. It’s weakness. And it signals to every dictator watching that aggression pays.

For Putin, Trump and his team have offered almost only carrots. For Zelensky, Trump and his team have offered almost only sticks.

I think the American public has the right to see the secret protocols of the Witkoff-Dmitriev pact. What business deals have been agreed?

There is nothing “new” is the Russia peace plan endorsed by Trump/Witkoff. It’s the same outlandish Putin demands. Shocked that Trump/Rubio are refloating this garbage again. Thought they had learned how ridiculous Putins demands were.

How to Arm Ukraine for Negotiations For a durable peace, Trump must get the order of talks right.

Here are some ideas for concessions and compromises on BOTH sides that would lead to a lasting peace. Asking Ukraine to make concessions without getting anything in return is unrealistic.

How to Arm Ukraine for Negotiations foreignaffairs.com/russia/how-a... via Foreign Affairs

Drafting a "peace plan" with Putin and then telling the Ukrainians to accept it is not mediation. It's acting as an agent for the Kremlin. Trump's and Witkoff's efforts to appease Putin are deeply disappointing. I was fooled into thinking Trump had finally figured Putin out. Looks like I was wrong

I'm giving my last local book talk at Stanford University on Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder on December 8, 2025, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM.

This one is free, but you need to register to get a seat: fsi.stanford.edu/events/book-...

In the late 60s/70s, strategic thinkers predicted the Soviets and their ideas were in the ascendency globally. Domestic turmoil in the US made it feel true, but autocracy didn’t win. The Soviet system collapsed & democracy rebounded—that’s worth remembering today.

Thrilled to host an American hero, General C. Q. Brown, to talk to Stanford students about geopolitics and government service. It was a very inspiring event! @fsi.stanford.edu

Prominent American economists once insisted the Soviet economy would surpass ours. It never happened. Worth remembering: predictions of authoritarian economic dominance don’t always hold up over time

One of our greatest advantages during the Cold War was our allies. I think it remains our greatest advantage over China and Russia today. When Trump weakens those alliances, he weakens America

One of the great successes of the Cold War was avoiding a war over Taiwan. We can learn from this today, as I told Gerard Baker on WSJ's Free Expression podcast: open.spotify.com/episode/3cbk...