Michael McFaul - ex-ambassador of the USA in Russia: key moments of life, political views and criticism

Former US ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul - personality is very ambiguous. Despite all his professionalism, he could calmly pass the line of friendliness and courtesy, for which he was repeatedly criticized by the Russian government and the media. And yet it is difficult to overestimate the contribution that the politician made to the development of relations between the two superpowers.

Education

To begin with, Michael McFaul was born on October 1, 1963 in the city of Glasgow, which is in the state of Montana. From a young age, he proved himself to be a very gifted child, which allowed him to finish school without difficulty. An impeccable certificate gave him the opportunity to enroll at Stanford University.

In 1986, Michael McFaul received a Master of Arts degree. At the same time, he specialized in Soviet and Eastern European cultures. In the period from 1983 to 1986, he repeatedly visited the Soviet Union, in order to pass an internship at the best universities in the country.

Also in 1986, McFaul received a scholarship from the Rhodes Foundation, which he then spent studying South African revolutionary groups. Later, in 1989, his knowledge resulted in a scientific paper entitled "The South African Movement in the Struggle for Freedom from the Intervention of Superpowers: Features of the Theory of Revolution in the Context of International Relations." For this work, he received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Oxford University.

Carier start

In 1993, Michael McFaul arranged to work at the Carnegie Center. It is a non-profit organization striving to achieve peace on the planet. As for Michael himself, he performed his duties in the Moscow branch, where he worked until 1995.

In 1995 he moved to Stanford University. Here McFaul focuses on the study of the Russian political system and culture. At the same time, his works begin to enjoy unprecedented popularity among foreign readers, which characterizes Michael as a qualified specialist.

In late 2006, Michael McFaul gets a very tempting offer from US President Barack Obama. The country's leader hires him as a consultant specializing in the countries of the former Soviet Union. And from this moment a new stage in the life of the Stanford professor begins.

In the political arena

As a consultant to the president, Michael McFaul has established himself as a true professional in his field. Therefore, in 2009, Barack Obama appoints him special assistant on national security issues. In the same year, McFaul became director of a special department of the US Security Council. Naturally, the main task of the young politician is to oversee matters relating to international relations.

In January 2010 Michael became one of the main initiators of the creation of the Russian-American bilateral commission. This was a serious breakthrough for the two countries, competing for a long time, and a big victory for McFaul himself. However, in 2012, the politician refuses his seat in the commission, as he receives a new, more important post.

Michael McFaul - US Ambassador to Russia

Back in late 2011, Barack Obama proposed the candidacy of Michael McFaul for the role of US Ambassador to Russia. However, for this position, the professor from Stanford joined only on January 10, 2012.

At the same time, the arrival of the new ambassador to Moscow was the occasion for another scandal in the media. The blame for all was Michael McFaul's meeting with representatives of the opposition, which took place on January 17, 2012. Then the politician was accused of violating diplomatic ethics, to which he replied: "Forgive me, but I'm just starting to learn the skills of negotiation."

In general, McFaul proved to be an unpredictable politician. Many of his statements were on the verge of what was allowed, but still did not cross it. And yet in 2014 he resigned as ambassador, saying that he missed his country and wanted his son to graduate from the school in the United States, and not in Russia.

Influence on peoples' friendship

Michael McFaul about Russia has always responded with genuine love. If you believe his words, then traveling to the USSR was his childhood dream. Therefore, after growing up, he did everything possible to realize his aspiration.

In addition, this passion pushed him to introduce in the US a policy of "resetting" Russian-American relations. And he succeeded, until 2014, the two superpowers did their best to establish fruitful cooperation with each other. Alas, the conflict with Ukraine erased all achievements and suspended the current process of reconciliation.

Criticism and scandals

A lot of noise on the Internet has a video in which Michael McFaul trolls Russian students. In it, the former US ambassador openly criticizes the state of affairs in Russia, placing emphasis on the fact that one should not admire the country's economy by using things manufactured outside of it.

Such statements have repeatedly slipped through McFaul's dialogues. Because of this, many consider him to be a frivolous and unrestrained politician. In addition, his knowledge of revolutionary insurrection is prompted by the idea that he was sent to Russia with the same goal - to create turmoil in the peaceful population of the country.