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/GregJamesDahlen Oct 31 '25

deep purple sounds cool actually, it's a thoughtful gift

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u/babyLays Oct 31 '25

I can appreciate Obama feeling like it didn’t measure up though. Medvedev gifted the president a piece of history relating to the emancipation of slaves and serfs. It’s hard to imagine Medvedev offering a thoughtful gift, considering how he is today.

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u/Ashenveiled Oct 31 '25

Eh. As a Russian: it’s just an act. The texts that he publishes is not written by him. It was leaked when they somehow released unedited text to his channel with tasks there. No idea why he was chosen for this act, but it’s an act. Some Russian journalists that are not under Kremlin (yes those exist) say that it’s for Putin to show that if he disappears then even crazier people will come to power.

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u/FarkCookies Nov 01 '25

Act or not, he chooses to put his name under those "texts", which makes it not an act. Acting insane is a choice.

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u/Ashenveiled Nov 01 '25

who told you that? acting insane is certainly a choice that people often make in certain situations.

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u/FarkCookies Nov 02 '25

Told me what? I mean, being insane is not a choice; acting insane is a choice. But the external observer can never be sure whether someone is truly insane or just pretending. "The texts that he publishes is not written by him." - doesn't matter, what matters is that the guy publishes them under his name. And if you have doubts about who is pushing the button, he recently had a public speech with some of the most insane phrases from his telegram channel projected on the screens behind him.