michael mcfaul

FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump dancing during the campaign rally for the Republican primary for the 2024 American presidential election. Manchester (NH), USA, January 20, 2024.

For China, Russia, and Israel, patience is a virtue in 2024

In January, Taiwan elected pro-independence candidate William Lai and, despite warnings, China’s response has been restrained, possibly influenced by Beijing’s belief that the leading US presidential candidate may treat Taiwan like a “discarded chess piece.”

All Russians lose in Putin's war

GZERO World Clips

All Russians lose in Putin's war

Vladimir Putin claims overwhelming domestic support for Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine. Is that true? Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, who talks to Russians almost every day, says what he's hearing is that there no winners inside Russia, where the war has hurt Putin politically. Even the oligarchs are unhappy: "There is not a single economic actor in Russia [who] thinks this is good." Why? Before the war, Russians had been richer than at any time in history, McFaul tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.

Grading the US response to Ukraine

GZERO World Clips

Grading the US response to Ukraine

Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia, is satisfied overall with how America has responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine so far — with a couple of caveats. First, the Biden administration needs to ratchet up sanctions so they don't pile up like parking tickets. And by that he means going after positions, not individuals, as well as offering a way a way to get off the list.
Also, the goal of the sanctions should be to stop the war, not hurt Russia beyond that, McFaul tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.

Beginning of Putin's end

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Beginning of Putin's end

On May 9, Vladimir Putin marked the 77th anniversary of Russia's Victory Day in World War II by co-opting its narrative to justify invading Ukraine and paint itself as a victim of Western aggression. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer speaks to Michael McFaul, who knows a thing or two about Russia and Putin from his days as the former US ambassador in Moscow. "There is not a single economic actor in Russia that thinks this is good," notes McFaul.

A Russian tank in Moscow | GZERO World with Ian Bremmer podcast | The Ukraine war is destroying Putin’s reputation

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast

Podcast: The Ukraine war is destroying Putin’s reputation

Listen: Michael McFaul knows a thing or two about Russia and Putin from his days as the former US ambassador in Moscow. As Putin's Victory Day speech illustrated, Russia hasn't moved on much since 1945, McFaul tells Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World podcast. But if the West goes too far, there's a much bigger risk: World War III. McFaul says that Putin signaled in his nothing-burger speech that Russia is ready to gobble up another chunk of Ukraine in the Donbas region, and explains why that gives Ukraine a stronger hand at the negotiating table.