Michael McFaul on Vladimir Putin and Russia

In this Uncommon Knowledge, Hoover fellow Peter Robinson speaks with former US ambassador to Russia, Hoover senior fellow, and Stanford political science professor Michael McFaul. McFaul discusses Russian president Vladimir Putin's complex and evolving rhetoric and strategic objectives, emphasizing recent developments in the US-Russia relationship, Putin and former US Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, and Ukraine's strategic importance to Russia.

[@1989TS..]

If any Russian sees this. Thank you for helping us in our war.

[@Elivasfq]

This guy is a true diplomat.

[@Elivasfq]

You haters are so mad and unthinking.

[@Elivasfq]

oanimalinho2 Ye sure you don't.

[@Elivasfq]

oanimalinho2 Why a goat and not a sheep?

[@oanimalinho2]

Elivasfq I got a feeling that you are more into goats, sorry if I got it wrong.

[@Elivasfq]

oanimalinho2 A diplomatic answer. Well I guess you are a true diplomat.

[@tyzxcj34]

Great interview and thanks for sharing.

[@JiriKlouda]

He is in denial about the NATO expansion question. He says it was not a problem even year ago, but it was huge problem when it was first suggested for Ukraine and Georgia in 2008. So this was not an unexpected development.

[@ronnieo9571]

Jiri, absolutely correct.

[@victoriataitague2861]

Great questions Mister Robinson.

[@winmine0327]

Wondering when this was recorded. Also, why call the EU a purely economic alliance when assessing its threat to Russia.

[@thedelta88]

as to the second question, the EU is a purely economic alliance. many EU nations are also in NATO which is a military alliance set up against the former Soviet Union. i'm sure the russians see it as more or less one entity, however.

[@winmine0327]

thedelta88 I'm reading on wiki that they have their own courts, taxes, laws, regulations, foreign aid department... lots of things that aren't much related to a mere trade agreement.

[@SolarPanelsForBCA]

thedelta88 If you've noticed, the countries that have recently joined the EU have also joined NATO. I think it's likely that the United States and the EU are pressuring countries that want to join the EU to join NATO

[@nesselhuf]

Shust S It actually goes the other way. NATO came before EU in most of these countries. The old East Block is counting on the US to balance Russian militarily and is wagering that the EU will recover the economic disaster of the 1980s. Poland, Slovakia, CR, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have done quite well since joining the EU offering cheap labor to German and French corporations.

[@superlyger]

Aside from from Antonio Inoki, a Japanese senator, Putin maybe the most knowledgeable in hand to hand combat amongst world politicians.

[@PerryCuda]

This guy was hounded mercilessly in Moscow. Russian demonstrators went to the Embassy, followed his car, and actually went to his kids' soccer match. No other Western country would do that to an Ambassador. Disgrace.

[@PerryCuda]

Tyler Brown Michael left Moscow on his own volition and was rightly replaced with a much more hardline diplomat - Tefft.

[@JohnnyAmerique]

Ignatius Ha! Yeah, sure - he "wanted to spend more time with his family," just like every other fired US government official. If you really believe that, send me a message - I've got a bridge I can sell you.

[@whosafraidoferiknrding4470]

I've lived in Hungary, Belarus and in Kyiv, Ukraine before, during and after the revolution. I don't understand, though not surprised, by all the negative comments on here about what McFaul is saying. For the most part, he's right on about Putin, Russia, NATO and more.

[@PinPinKula]

dumbed down as it can be

[@sturoman]

Putin supporters in the comments as usual. This was a great insight from someone with first hand experience with Putin and his government.

[@JohnnyAmerique]

+sturoman Yes, Putin supporters in the comments as usual. This means one of two things: 1. Many, if not most, of the citizenry of the English-speaking world which is lucid enough to care about foreign policy support the positive initiatives of Putin and the Russian Federation, not the depraved schemes of the neocon beasts and "humanitarian interventionist" con-artists in Washington and London. 2. The Russian government is so flush with cash, and so astute at social media messaging, that they can pay for plentiful "Kremlin trolls" to appear in virtually every comment thread pertaining to foreign affairs on the internet. Please be advised though: Option 2 will immediately collapse the "Russia is a bankrupt economic basket-case" narrative, which the Anglo-American imperialists require to prop up the sagging dollar-based system of financial parasitism.

[@MrMSalexanderMK]

What is the difference between the USA,

[@redbackshanto4164]

All PLAYED BY PUTIN 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 16:15-16:56

[@yaroslavlyakutya326]

Unfortunately the Americans always flip over the truth.They say RF made up the atrocity between the RF and the US, while it is quit the opposite. It is the US that has always been looking at the RF as an enemy and counter partner.US allows itself to do whatever it wants anywhere in the world including right at the RF borders but can not bear the RF to do the same when many experts and the people who know RF explicitly claim that Russian foreign policy is far more peaceful and humanitarian rather than American one. The US once was believed of broadcasting and dispersing the most truthful news and having the best political experts but today with the multipolar world and the outreach of technology, we can see that US has been converted to a clown which just lies and lies, cheats and cheats, deceives and deceives and has no shame.

[@NavaidSyed]

Does cutting off the historical claims on geographical territory and deciding purely on the bases of majority, applies on conflict between Israel and and Palestine, too? Or these are just the politics and arguments of convenience in which policies are primarily shaped on, what favors us in a specific set of circumstances.?

[@rafedkarim4595]

Lol. Many Russian trolls and agents are writing comments here.

[@campaampa8270]

Die BESTE Rede von Wladimir Putin

[@maxrav1831]

When did the Russians invade Crimea?

[@NewRSM1994]

max rav never crimea joins russia in propaganda they call that anexion

[@lauristamo3235]

+VinoV N. Watch at map from 2013 or erlier what you see ? Crime is part of Ukraine, all these referendums and asks to join is show for dummies everybody know that real reason why Crime "joined" Russia is because Russians had bigger military power than Ukraine and Ukraine hadn't any chances to OPENLY confront Russia. In modern world everyone who anexating some teritorry use the same exuces: referendum, some delegation that asks to " join " other country or smth like that. Nazis did that, soviets did that now Russians doing this shit. After all we all know that "referendum" in teritory where you have high number of well armed soldiers and no international obserwers is the best way to descide question like this :D

[@NavaidSyed]

+Lauris Tamo If you look back at map a little further before Khrushchev, Crimea is part of Russia.

[@lauristamo3235]

***** And if you look eaven further you will see that Moscow is part of Ukraine ( "Kiev's Rusia" ), or for example there was time when Lithuania controled half of Europ. So maybe european countrys shuld return our lands back ? :D Or if you need more example Siberia is part of Chuna. Now imagine whats hapen if everyone disides to take back what "belongs" to them ? World in never ending wars. No mather what hepen before Chrusciov today Russia is ocupant and Russia ocupied crime and I think this is not how it shuld be in 21 century.

[@igoryegin9531]

+max rav At the end of February 2014.

[@michellepernula872]

How can you invade if Russian speaking people are citizens of ukraine? And how can Russia invade if they own a Treaty between the 2 countries? And how can you invade when a section of those citizens in Ukraine felt the COUP DE TAT and overthrow of Ukraine reigned down on this region so they had an open, transparent election...a referendum to appeal TO Russia to join the Federation. The outcome turned out the majority wanted to apply - so they did. Russia did not TAKE Crimea, Crimea APPLIED TO Join and did so through election and application. Russia did not invade, it ACCEPTED responsibility for Crimea due to a Puppet government that was attacking them verbally & physically. They DIVORCED themselves from corrupt Crimea and opted to join Russia. Putin did NOT make each person vote a particular way. Russia was sanctioned and then took on this region and was probably a huge burden. What was Russia supposed to do? Turn it's back on people that were attacked, threatened and fell to a coup?

[@JiriKlouda]

Card carrying communist is not what americans think it means. It is something like professing of being Christian is a requirement to hold a major public office in US. You don't have to believe, you just have to say you do. Most don't.

[@milanbalazik1847]

stopped watching at 12:10 :D

[@ThePoisonBiscuit]

This guy is a warmonger.

[@michellepernula872]

He's speaking based on HIS perception alone. Not truth. BIAS.

[@voranartsirisubsoontorn9010]

To me Russia is very lucky for sometimes already that Mr. Putin is in power. Russia is a good example of nation who could have changed from dynasty into democracy but probably because Russia used to have so many thinkers and great one so some how they chose socialism and that pull Russia down from its potential which is such a strange situation.

[@michellepernula872]

Yanokovich COULD NOT sign because they were ranked low, and were UNSTABLE. The EU rejected UKRAINE, not Ukraine rejected EU. He simply told citizens that he tried to jump through the hoops, but was spinning wheels, this angered students who had NO patience. He could NOT sign, it cost money and stability and they were not THERE yet. Besides, Ukraine suffered extreme poverty and could NOT pay this to join. And NO, he went to his home in Ukraine...not russia!!!

[@vinbourn]

this man mcfaul is a fool!!!

[@peterr7321]

Russia never invaded Crimea Crimea was, is Russian.

[@yaroslavlyakutya326]

It was great if the ex-ambassador mentioned what precisely lack of democracy there is in RF and not the general words only.Democracy in RF is very wide and is comparable to the american one as whole.