Michael McFaul on Lessons for US-Russia Relations and for the Ukraine Today

Hoover Institution fellow and former United States ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul shares his thoughts on current US-Russian relations. As there was after Putin’s action in Ukraine last year, there has been a chorus of commentary on his supposed strategic genius. He is acting decisively, seizing the initiative and creating facts on the ground--so the narrative goes--in contrast with the West’s feckless pursuits in Syria. The opposite is true. Five years ago, Russia was in a much stronger position, both at home and in the world. Today, Putin is playing defense, doubling down on bad decisions guided by an outdated theory of international politics. Recognition of Russia’s mistakes, however, does not guarantee future failure. The United States and its allies cannot stand idly by, waiting for Russia to fail. Instead, we must adopt a comprehensive strategy to minimize the negative consequences of Russia’s actions and maximize our positive ones.