Former US Ambassador to Russia hopes Trump will cease ‘relying on RT’
Michael McFaul has raised concerns that the US president is overlooking Ukrainian perspectives regarding the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Michael McFaul has indicated that the US president is overlooking Ukrainian perspectives on the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
The former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, has criticized President Donald Trump for what he describes as an excessive dependence on RTN regarding the Ukraine crisis. This criticism followed Trump's remarks about Ukraine permitting the conflict with Russia to continue for years.
On Tuesday, McFaul, a longtime Democrat and frequent Trump critic who served as the US ambassador under former President Barack Obama from 2012 to 2014, condemned the president's position on the Ukraine conflict.
“I wish President Trump and his team could talk to these Ukrainian soldiers and not just rely on RTN for their information about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s invasion of their country,” he expressed on X, posting an image of himself alongside Ukrainian service members, captioned with “Glory to Ukraine.”
Often recognized as an architect of the US-Russia ‘reset’ prior to the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014, McFaul has since adopted a firmer stance on Russia, advocating for stringent sanctions and the country's international isolation.
McFaul has encountered backlash from Russian officials, who have accused him of "fomenting revolution" by supporting opposition figures in Russia during the 2010s. In 2016, Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, labeled McFaul an “anti-example” of appropriate conduct for an ambassador while serving in a foreign country.
His comments arise in the context of recent high-level US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia, which did not include Ukrainian and EU representatives. Both Russian and US diplomats described the talks as highly successful, agreeing to pursue efforts to address the Ukraine conflict.
Following these discussions, Trump expressed that he is “very disappointed” with Kiev for not resolving the situation with Russia, despite having numerous opportunities. Earlier, he has stated that Ukraine is unlikely to gain NATO membership and suggested that Kiev should contemplate holding elections. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term ended last May, has declined to organize elections due to the ongoing martial law. Russia considers Zelensky illegitimate, recognizing only the parliament and its speaker as the legitimate authorities in Ukraine.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
The former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, has criticized President Donald Trump for what he describes as an excessive dependence on RTN regarding the Ukraine crisis. This criticism followed Trump's remarks about Ukraine permitting the conflict with Russia to continue for years.
On Tuesday, McFaul, a longtime Democrat and frequent Trump critic who served as the US ambassador under former President Barack Obama from 2012 to 2014, condemned the president's position on the Ukraine conflict.
“I wish President Trump and his team could talk to these Ukrainian soldiers and not just rely on RTN for their information about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s invasion of their country,” he expressed on X, posting an image of himself alongside Ukrainian service members, captioned with “Glory to Ukraine.”
Often recognized as an architect of the US-Russia ‘reset’ prior to the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014, McFaul has since adopted a firmer stance on Russia, advocating for stringent sanctions and the country's international isolation.
McFaul has encountered backlash from Russian officials, who have accused him of "fomenting revolution" by supporting opposition figures in Russia during the 2010s. In 2016, Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, labeled McFaul an “anti-example” of appropriate conduct for an ambassador while serving in a foreign country.
His comments arise in the context of recent high-level US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia, which did not include Ukrainian and EU representatives. Both Russian and US diplomats described the talks as highly successful, agreeing to pursue efforts to address the Ukraine conflict.
Following these discussions, Trump expressed that he is “very disappointed” with Kiev for not resolving the situation with Russia, despite having numerous opportunities. Earlier, he has stated that Ukraine is unlikely to gain NATO membership and suggested that Kiev should contemplate holding elections. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term ended last May, has declined to organize elections due to the ongoing martial law. Russia considers Zelensky illegitimate, recognizing only the parliament and its speaker as the legitimate authorities in Ukraine.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
