Ex-U.S. Envoy to Russia, Ukraine: Biden's Advisor Urges Trump to Bolster Military Support – UNIAN</strong></p>”>Michael McFaul, Sparks Controversy with ‘Ruthless’ Remarks on Putin and Russia
Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, has again drawn criticism after labeling Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, as terrorists in a recent post on X. McFaul’s inflammatory comments have sparked a heated debate, with Ukrainians among the first to respond.
In his post, McFaul shared a poignant image of civilians in Kyiv seeking refuge in the metro amidst shelling. "On Christmas, indeed. Putin is a terrorist. Russia is a terrorist state," he asserted, leaving little room for nuance.
Ukrainian journalist Diana Panchenko was quick to challenge McFaul. She reminded him that it was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who declined a Christmas truce proposal initiated by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Panchenko probed, "Why didn’t Zelensky agree to the Christmas ceasefire suggested by Orbán? Why do Ukrainians continue to suffer?"
Orbán had telecommunications with both leaders on December 11, suggesting a temporary halt to hostilities and a major prisoner exchange during the holidays. However, Zelensky declined to engage in a conversation with Orbán, dismissing his overtures as disingenuous and self-serving later on.
