Ambassador Michael McFaul helped launch the Obama administration’s reset in U.S.-Russian relations, which fostered new and unprecedented collaboration between the two countries. As U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, he had a front-row seat as the relationship began to unravel in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency. In his new book, From Cold War to Hot Peace, he talks about what happened and what went wrong. McFaul sat down in the DiploPod studio with Lauren Dueck to discuss his new book, U.S.-Russian relations, and where Putin’s foreign policy is headed.
The Middle East and North Africa region is witnessing a fierce competition among the world’s current “great powers”—the U.S., Russia, and China. Director of the Carnegie Middle East Program Amr Hamzawy joins Sophia to discuss the current state and future of great power competition in the region.
Did Macron's political gamble pay off or backfire? Tara Varma from the Brookings Institution joins Sophia to discuss the outcome of France's recent snap elections and how they might shape the future of Europe.
Eric Ciaramella joins Sophia to discuss the upcoming 75th anniversary NATO summit—and what it might mean for Ukraine. They explore how NATO allies are thinking about their support to Ukraine, what Kiev hopes for from its partners, and what deliverables the summit can provide.
Rosa Balfour joins Sophia to discuss the recent 2024 European Parliamentary elections—the outcomes, what they mean for future EU policy, and why the US should care.
Jon Bateman joins Sophia to explore what President Biden's latest tariffs on China mean for the US, the climate, and allies.