Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Former diplomats on 'The Transatlantic' say U.S. misread Russia; urge negotiating with recognition of its status
Summary
On The Transatlantic podcast, Wayne Merry and Ambassador James Collins argued Washington repeatedly misread Russia’s self-image, questioned the long-term utility of sanctions, and said ending the war in Ukraine requires clear incentives and Russia’s acceptance of Ukraine’s nationhood.
Two former U.S. diplomats told the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe’s podcast The Transatlantic that Washington has long misread Russia’s self‑perception and that current policy tools, especially sanctions, offer limited leverage.
Ambassador James Collins said the core problem is a persistent U.S. perspective that treats Russia as a defeated power rather than “one of the world’s great powers.” He argued that post‑Cold War U.S. policy often assumed Russia had “lost a war,” while Moscow never accepted that framing and continued to see itself as a peer power.
Wayne Merry, author of a recently declassified memo the host referred to as the Long Telegram, said he wrote to emphasize that U.S. policymakers “never listen,” and that repeated American optimism about…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
