Michael McFaul

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Will Ukraine be Putin's Afghanistan? — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

From "What Putin Fears Most" https://t.co/YHXPvotZVc via @JoDemocracy 4/ END THREAD — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

"As long as citizens in free countries exercise their democratic rights to elect their own leaders and set their own course in domestic and foreign politics, Putin will keep them in his crosshairs.” 3/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

"Putin would not stop seeking to undermine democracy and sovereignty in Ukraine, Georgia, or the region as whole if NATO stopped expanding." 2/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

“Because the primary threat to Putin and his autocratic regime is democracy, not NATO, that perceived threat would not magically disappear with a moratorium on NATO expansion." 1/ THREAD — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

RT @juliaioffe: Tune in! — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

RT @crookedmedia: The Russia-Ukraine crisis ramped up this past weekend. @McFaul joins us to discuss his view of the situation. #WhatADay “… — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

I’m 100% for sanctions against Russian oligarchs. But let’s not overstate their influence on Putin. They are DEPENDENT on Putin. And the more an oligarch is exposed abroad, the weaker ties they have to Putin. The oligarchs closest to him are those with the weakest exposure abroad — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

RT @SotnykOlena: #Russian troops on #Ukrainian lands!#war https://t.co/0cng5C4vwO — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Did NATO expansion compel Putin to invade Ukraine again? No. Professor @RTPerson3 and I explain here: What Putin Fears Most https://t.co/YHXPvots5E via @JoDemocracy — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

RT @11thHour: As President Biden imposes new sanctions on Russia, former President Trump is praising Putin’s aggressive moves against Ukrai… — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

For details, read What Putin Fears Most https://t.co/YHXPvotZVc via @JoDemocracy 9/ END THREAD — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

So what changed? Democratic expansion, or what Putin calls US-supported coups in the post-communist world. Kremlin concerns about NATO expansion have been a variable, not a constant, over the last 30 years. They spike AFTER democratic breakthroughs. 8/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Putin on Ukraine in NATO: "Ukraine has its own relations with NATO; there is the Ukraine-NATO Council. At the end of the day, the decision is to be taken by NATO and Ukraine. It is a matter for those two partners.” 7/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Putin, May 2002, “I am absolutely convinced that Ukraine will not shy away from the processes of expanding interaction with NATO and the Western allies as a whole." 6/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

In 2001, on whether he opposed the Baltic states’ membership in NATO, Putin stated, “We of course are not in a position to tell people what to do. We cannot forbid people to make certain choices if they want to increase the security of their nations in a particular way.” 5/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

"And if we change the quality of the relationship, if we change the format of the relationship between Russia and NATO, then I think NATO enlargement will cease to be an issue—will no longer be a relevant issue.” 4/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Putin also in 2001, “Russia acknowledges the role of NATO in the world of today, Russia is prepared to expand its cooperation with this organization. " 3/ — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

November 2001, Putin said this: “we differ in the ways and means we perceive that are suitable for reaching the same objective… [But] one can rest assured that whatever final solution is found, it will not threaten … the interests of both our countries and of the world.” — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

To those arguing that NATO expansion has been a constant source of tension with Russia, a few facts. 1/ THREAD — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Our take, "its complicated." Check out a more nuanced take ere: What Putin Fears Most https://t.co/YHXPvotZVc via @JoDemocracy — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Hey @PopovaProf , we agree: See our latest, just posed: What Putin Fears Most https://t.co/YHXPvotZVc via @JoDemocracy — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

RT @RTPerson3: In our latest article for @JoDemocracy, Michael @McFaul and I argue that what Putin really fears is a sovereign democratic U… — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

Not all debates can be tackled in a tweet. So Professor @RTPerson3 and I tried to untangle the complicated relationship between NATO expansion and democratic expansion here: What Putin Fears Most https://t.co/YHXPvotZVc via @JoDemocracy — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

What Putin Fears Most https://t.co/YHXPvots5E via @JoDemocracy — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

RT @NatashaBertrand: Ukrainian FM Kuleba: Plan A is diplomacy to avert war. But if that fails, “Plan B is to fight for every inch of our la… — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

If you want to understand sanctions on Russia -- past and future -- follow @edwardfishman, including this thread. — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

"Shuvalov" sorry for typo (doing too many things at same time) — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

The Russian bank, VEB, just sanctioned by @POTUS is a big one and a strategic one, very close to Putin. Its current Chairman, Igor Shuvalov, served for many years as the first deputy prime minister. He is very close to Putin. — PolitiTweet.org

Michael McFaul @McFaul

I was being diplomatic! Your blunt, accurate tweet is noted. — PolitiTweet.org