Michael McFaul, an academic with a background as a former U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, has pointed to the nation’s peace effort as a critical factor in the current state of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. In a conversation with The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York, McFaul emphasized that the U.S. efforts, particularly those under the administration of Donald Trump, have not yielded positive outcomes for Ukraine. Instead, he suggests that the initiatives have left the situation more precarious than it was before.
The discussion revealed a significant concern over the U.S.’s potential disengagement from the conflict, which McFaul argues could jeopardize ongoing efforts to stabilize the region. He also highlighted the introduction of a new congressional bill introducing sanctions against Russia and its trading partners, which are seen as a necessary step to hold the Russian government accountable for its actions. The bill aims to target not only Russia but also entities and individuals supporting its war machine, thereby escalating the economic and political pressure on the state.