Russia is in the news on a near-daily basis as the media discusses everything from the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, to allegations that the Kremlin is behind the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in England. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, frequently shares his views on these issues as an analyst for NBC News and a contributing columnist in The Washington Post.

McFaul is the author of the forthcoming book “From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia.” He served for five years in the Obama administration, first as special assistant to the President and senior director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House (2009-2012), and then as U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014). He also was the Distinguished Mingde Faculty Fellow at the Stanford Center at Peking University from June to August of 2015.

He has authored and co-authored several books, including “Advancing Democracy Abroad: Why We Should, How We Can,” “Transitions To Democracy: A Comparative Perspective,” “Power and Purpose: American Policy toward Russia after the Cold War” and “Russia’s Unfinished Revolution: Political Change from Gorbachev to Putin.” His current research interests include American foreign policy, great power relations and the relationship between democracy and development.

McFaul is professor of political science, director and senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, and the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is visiting the Woodrow Wilson School as its 2018 Anna and G. Mason Morfit ’97 Distinguished Visitor.