“Putin himself is a bit of a risk taker, so the invading Ukraine, in the east in particular - Crimea was risky.” Quote by Steve Inskeep
“We need to be stronger. We need to deter the Russians. We need to show resolve, which is why cooperating with them on the other hand can be more difficult.” DifficultStrongerResolve Author:Steve Inskeep
“The Republican critique here is that Russia is in a weak situation, but has been emboldened by a weak response from the United States, that in Ukraine, that in other places, the United States has not stepped forward.” SituationRepublicanWeakResponseCritique Author:Steve Inskeep
“Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only stupid people or fools would think it was bad.” PeopleThinkingStupidFoolGood ThingsStupid PeopleGood Relationship Author:Michael McFaul
“I want to be clear that when you mention the Republican critique of President Obama, that is not President-elect Trump's critique, right? So you have a real clash within the Republican Party, and I think within the Trump administration, about how to develop policy toward Russia.” ThinkingRealPresidentPartyPolicyRepublicanPresident ObamaRepublican PartyCritiqueClash Author:Michael McFaul
“It should never be the goal of U.S. foreign policy towards any country to have a - quote, unquote - "good relation." Then what? What do we get out of that? We get - Trump is helping the approval ratings amongst Russians. How does that advance American national security interests?” CountryHelpingGoalInterestSecurityPolicyRelationForeign PolicyNational Security Author:Michael McFaul
“Trump has got to define what he seeks to achieve with Russia, and then use diplomacy and sometimes coercion to achieve those ends. Right now, aside from this fight with ISIS, which I would underscore, you know, the Obama administration has been trying to fight ISIS with Russia for several years now.” TryingSometimesFightingAchieveDiplomacy Author:Michael McFaul
“Russians don't want to fight ISIS in Syria. They want to leave that to us. Aside from that, I don't know what are the objectives that Mr. Trump seeks in having a good relationship with Mr. Putin.” FightingSyriaGood Relationship Author:Michael McFaul
“Vladimir Putin will be up for reelection, and he has shifted his whole political strategy inside of Russia from one where he promised the Russians pretty much a chicken in every pot, a better economic way of life.” PoliticalEconomicStrategyPot Author:Michael McFaul
“Putin is now nationalist. And what he does is, he tells the Russian people, OK, you may have a little less chicken in your pot, but I'm making Russia great again. Look what we're doing all other the world. Everyone is paying attention to us. And Russia is a great power, on par with the United States and others.” PeopleWorldAttentionPay AttentionPotGreat Power Author:Michael McFaul
“We can deal with Russia on counterterrorism. We have and I think we are right now. That's easy.” ThinkingEasy Author:Michael McFaul