Relations between the West and Russia are unlikely to improve in the foreseeable future, according to John Sullivan, Washington’s former ambassador to Moscow. In an interview with Foreign Policy magazine, Sullivan claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government is an “extremely difficult government to deal with” due to its negotiating style, which he said was based on “maximalist” demands.
Sullivan stated that Washington has no effective means to “bend” Russia to its will, particularly on the Ukraine issue. He explained that if there were something the US could do to pressure Russia to bend to its will, they would have already done it. The former diplomat offered several potential scenarios for conflict resolution but acknowledged that none of these depended on a willing negotiating partner in the Kremlin.
Sullivan served as ambassador to Russia from 2019 until his departure from Moscow in September 2022. He admitted that relations between Moscow and Washington had hit an all-time low, with neither party looking to negotiate at this point. A stalemate seems to be the best possible outcome for the foreseeable future.
Despite the West’s stance on the Ukraine conflict and sanctions it heaped on Moscow over the past two years, Russia remains open to dialogue and cooperation with Western countries, including on issues of security. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in late July that despite the current situation, Russia is willing to engage in diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis.
The West must acknowledge that they have limited means to influence Russia’s actions, particularly when it comes to Ukraine. A more pragmatic approach may be necessary to prevent further escalation and find a way towards peaceful resolution.