logo
episode-header-image
May 2018
31m 56s

Why Putin Matters

Peach Fish Productions
About this episode

On The Gist, the mainstream media is too buttoned-up when describing the Trump administration's shenanigans.

There is no Russian Federation as we know it without Vladimir Putin. Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul explains how parts of Russian society are eager for new leadership despite that. As for its relations with the U.S., McFaul sees continuity in how the Obama and Trump administrations (though perhaps not Trump himself) put pressure on Russia. McFaul's new book is From Cold War to Hot Peace.

In the Spiel, email newsletters are where you'll find the best and worst headlines. Plus, it's time to award a Lobstar of the antentwig!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
Mike on Matt Lewis Can't Lose
<p>Mike joins <a href="https://www.mattklewis.com/">Matt Lewis</a> for a lively crossover conversation that opens with deep dives into Huey Lewis puns before shifting into the Democrats' "affordability" message, why word wars matter more than policy wins, and how political optics ... Show More
30m 28s
Nov 21
Funny You Should Mention: Myq Kaplan
<p>Comedian Myq Kaplan joins the show for a deep dive into joke logic, philosophy, and the very slippery business of defining who counts as a comedian. Using his new special <em data-stringify-type="italic">Rini</em> as a jumping-off point, he and Mike wander through Grecian maxi ... Show More
1h 19m
Nov 20
Fareed Zakaria on Revolutions, Backlashes, and the High Cost of Not Fixing Immigration
<p>Fareed Zakaria joins the show to discuss <em data-stringify-type="italic">The Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present</em>, arguing that the past 30 years of globalization, AI, and cultural upheaval rival the Industrial Revolutions in their political ... Show More
41m 55s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2025
Will Trump Shift the Balance in Ukraine?
Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, joins FP Live to assess the Trump administration’s shifting policies on Ukraine and how that could impact the ongoing war. McFaul is currently a professor at Stanford University and writes the McFaul’s World newsletter. Michael ... Show More
42m 49s
Nov 2024
Trump and Putin, Call Me Maybe?
Today, we look at the relationship between President-elect Donald Trump and the Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has denied media reports that Donald Trump held a call with Vladimir Putin, in which he is said to have warned Putin against escalating the war in Ukraine. A ... Show More
33m 35s
Aug 15
What Hangs in the Balance of Trump's Meeting With Putin
<p>Today, President Trump and the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, are meeting on U.S. soil for the first time, to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.</p><p>David E. Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, discusses the wide rang ... Show More
27m 3s
Sep 9
Understanding Putin's Power
<p>Over the weekend, Russia bombarded Ukraine with the largest drone assault in the war thus far.</p><p>It’s the latest in a relentless Russian offensive that keeps escalating, despite President Trump’s efforts to negotiate peace.</p><p>Anatoly Kurmanaev, who covers Russia for Th ... Show More
30m 47s
Jul 2025
Kyiv reprieve: Trump loses patience with Putin
<p>For months, Donald Trump has appeared to back Vladimir Putin. Now, frustrated at the lack of a ceasefire and fed up with Russia, the <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/07/14/fed-up-with-putin-trump-offers-ukraine-arms-and-tariffs?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio. ... Show More
23 m
Aug 7
Exiled Russian Journalist Mikhail Zygar
The presidents of Russia and the United States will soon meet face to face, a big coup for Putin, who has been boycotted by Western leaders since invading Ukraine. And even President Trump admits his envoy's visit to Moscow this week yielded no concrete result. Trump has long bel ... Show More
56m 3s
Oct 16
Trump Issues Ultimatum on Putin
As today's show begins, President Trump says he's having a "lengthy conversation" with Vladimir Putin. Prior to getting on the horn with the Russian leader, Trump said he was prepared to give Putin an ultimatum: Hold serious peace talks or the US will give Ukraine Tomahawk long-r ... Show More
41m 11s
Oct 17
Bolton charged, Zelenskiy, Putin and Russian oil
John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, is charged with sharing classified information. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy heads to the White House as Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin make plans to meet in Hungary. The admiral who le ... Show More
9m 51s