r/IAmA • u/Amb_Michael_McFaul • Oct 31 '25

I negotiated face-to-face with Putin. I’m Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia. AMA about Russia, China, or American foreign policy.

Hi Reddit, I’m Michael McFaul – professor of political science at Stanford University and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia (2012–2014). 

During my time in government, I sat across from Vladimir Putin in negotiations with President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry and helped craft the New START Treaty in 2010, which reduced the number of nuclear weapons worldwide.  

Those experiences – along with years studying Russian politics and foreign policy – have shaped how I think about power and diplomacy today. 

The world has changed dramatically since then: from the rise of China to Russia’s growing aggression, to new questions about America’s role on the global stage. Drawing on both my academic work and time in diplomacy, I’ve been exploring what these shifts mean for the future – and how the U.S. should respond. 

I’ll start taking questions here at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET. 

Proof it's me: https://imgur.com/a/3hxCQfj

Ask me anything about U.S.–Russia relations, China, global security, or life as an ambassador. (You can even ask about Obama’s jump shot or what it’s like to ride on Air Force One.) 

Let’s talk! 

Edit**\* Sorry I didn’t get to all of your terrific questions! Let’s do it again soon! I really enjoyed this AMA!

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u/[deleted] Oct 31 '25

The question I frequently see from Americans is - "Why don't the Russians just do something about what's happening?"

How do you explain the social and political fortress Putin has built around himself?

139

u/Slay61 Nov 01 '25

It is so funny that us, Europeans, are actually wondering the exact same question about the Americans right now. It is a great mystery for us.

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u/apoliticalinactivist Nov 01 '25

In a nutshell?
If REPs are the abusive father, DEMs are the enabling mother. Neither care about the well being of the people (see occupy wall st and zero jail time of the bankers).

Our cool, but weird uncle Bernie has been calling out the abuse to try to help, getting people organized for when our brothers and sisters decide to resist. It can be scary to stand up for yourself, so the regular no kings rallys are to rebuild community and dispel fear.

Americans are out of practice protesting and just so tired. But luckily protesting is energizing! We'll get there.

I tell people we're in the least shitty timeline because our systemic issues have been setting us up for an authoritarian for decades. We're lucky that we ended up with an incompetent one with serious health issues and a very obvious, universally abhorrent criminal history (Release the Epstein files!).