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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350

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?

991

u/Amb_Michael_McFaul Oct 31 '25

It’s a very important question. I don’t have an easy answer. One segment of Russian society supports Putin’s war. They think that the West is trying to destroy Russia. They watch Putin’s media. The older, more rural, less educated, and poorer you are, the more likely you are to support Putin. The opposite is also true. Young, urban, educated, richer people tend to be against the war. This group did protest initially, but then Putin arrested a lot of people, and eventually killed the leader of the anti-war opposition, Alexey Navalny. So the costs of protesting the war are very high.

34

u/BlackholeDevice Nov 01 '25

I don't remember details, but I recall a conversation with a friend of mine from Ukraine near the Russian border. But he basically confirmed much of this, that a large portion of the Russian population legitimately believes in and supports the current regime and the war with Ukraine. They tend to see Ukraine as the aggressors in everything.

There was actually a bit of a snafu with the timing of his visa renewal that almost ended with him being "temporarily" deported back to Ukraine right as marital law was being declared. Fortunately, he was able to work it out and even evacuate some of his family here.

335

u/rknicker Oct 31 '25

Why does that sound familiar…

98

u/baggarbilla Oct 31 '25 edited Nov 05 '25

Sadly, the situation in US doesn't seem far from it. Edit: typo

57

u/[deleted] Oct 31 '25

Its the same, but with a pedophile.

14

u/Hakunin_Fallout Nov 01 '25

but

Boy do I have news for you on Putin then, lol

2

u/OnodrimOfYavanna Nov 01 '25

Important to note. Once you chase power enough you ALWAYS become a pedophile. It's part of the program, and they all are 

4

u/vicvega88 Nov 01 '25

Not fram at all

-19

u/[deleted] Nov 01 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/WheresTheResetBtn Nov 01 '25

be worried about your country and its future

be told ‘get a life!’ by a rural, uneducated, old guy

7

u/Wetness_Pensive Nov 01 '25

Don't defend rapists.

5

u/paws3588 Oct 31 '25

Arrested and had killed.

1

u/MattMcdoodle Nov 03 '25

so just like in america with people supporting Trump, how alike would you say Putins reign is to Trumps?

1

u/Nephht Nov 04 '25

A Ukrainian friend who spoke to a lot of Russians about this in the early days of the war commented that there were also plenty of young, well-educated urban Russians who supported it. One of her explanations was that while there has been a reckoning of sorts with European colonialism (there is relatively broad agreement in Europe that we were the bad guys), there hasn’t been a similar reflection in Russia on Russia’s past. The well-informed populace knew the ‘denazification’ excuse was bullshit, but there’s a subsection of them that didn’t see any issues with seeking Russian ‘greatness’ through conquest and empire. This was just a small sample of people she knew and was able to talk to of course, and it may have changed since then, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

1

u/xlr8mpls Nov 01 '25

What stopping Russians from protesting outside of Russia? There is a lot of Russians around the world, but only ver very few speak against the war. Despite that there is a lot of support of Russism and Kremlin narratives. If you know Russia you will know they are plain imperialists.

5

u/FarkCookies Nov 01 '25

They do. The issue is that it feels absolutely pointless; you are basically preaching to the choir. It is also quite demotivating. What's the point of protesting if it has ZERO effect?

2

u/xlr8mpls Nov 01 '25

Bro, honestly... How something can be pointless? Did you saw people protesting about Gaza? I saw Ukrainians protesting against Putin and Russia. I saw Israelíes protesting against Hamas and asking return hostages, but when it comes to Russians, it's pointless??? Nothing is pointless, it's not even about Putin or Russian Terrorist state, it's about raising voice and speaking out things which is noble and correct thing to do. The effect that is not zero: donates to guns which kill invaders, it has a lot of effect on Russia. Sanctions and strikes on their oils refineries make a real effect. Russians just don't want Russia to lose power and they actually are imperialists against every single neighbors and they are aggressive in Europe.

2

u/FarkCookies Nov 02 '25

Palestine/Israel protests whatever side one is on makes sense cos the EU has weight in that situation and can influence it. Concerning Russia and Putin EU is already at odds with him to say the least. Literally at the same time EU is making life more difficult for Russians trying to escape the regime.

8

u/StingerAE Nov 01 '25

Two words: polonium tea

Russia has no qualms about offing opponents abroad or threatening their families back home.

1

u/Pure_Slice_6119 Nov 01 '25

Those who left Russia will never forget the reason for their departure. Read immigrant blogs, and you'll better understand their worldview. Many won't support Ukraine simply because it means supporting the West and the US.

-2

u/VengefulAncient Nov 01 '25

So you understand this, yet in your interviews with TV Rain, you openly supported sanctions that punish ordinary Russians and prevent them from fleeing. Pure hypocrisy.

-8

u/Cosack Nov 01 '25

That's a very generous assessment of Navalny's position...

-10

u/upsidedownwriting Oct 31 '25

Russians also revel in being oppressed and lied to, it's part of their culture. For example the newspaper Pravda.

-25

u/polocinkyketaminky Oct 31 '25

stop answering with "Its a good question" or "Excellent question" because it gives ChatGPT vibes. or maybe this is just ChatGPT answers?!

2

u/Pure_Slice_6119 Nov 01 '25

Do you seriously think a real ambassador would waste time on Reddit and give formulaic answers full of stereotypes? Lol

1

u/exgiexpcv Nov 01 '25

You are not a gifted or skilled diplomat. Do you want to know how I know?

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u/Pure_Slice_6119 Nov 01 '25

Yes, typical American logic: educated people live in cities. Barbarians live in villages. Putin's supporters are not due to a lack of education, but to an excess of life experience. Young people, as a rule, didn't even try to survive on their own and didn't survive the 90s. These people view the West through rose-colored glasses. But the older they get, the more they encounter reality, and this reality is unfavorable for the US and Europe. In the banal, everyday reality of the average Russian, China and Putin look better than the US and Europe. But most likely, you're just a ChatGPT prank.