Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world

Past Event
Seminar

Russia’s War Against the West: A Conversation with Amb. John Sullivan

RSVP Required Harvard Faculty, Fellows, Staff, and Students

Join the Intelligence Project for a seminar with John J. Sullivan, former Deputy Secretary of State and Acting Secretary of State, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Russia from 2020-2022. Ambassador Sullivan will provide his perspective from his time in Moscow and share details of his forthcoming book, Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir from the Front Lines of Russia's War Against the West, which will be released in August 2024. In it, Ambassador Sullivan explores his time in Russia, including providing warnings in the lead up to the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and then supporting US policy as the war unfolded. He argues that Russia and the United States are effectively at war, and explores options for the US to stand up to the challenge posed by Russia. This seminar will be moderated by the Intelligence Project and will be in person only, open to the first 50 registrants with a Harvard ID. Light refreshments will be served.

Date: Time: - Location: G02 Seminar Room
The cover of Amb. Sullivan's book: Midnight in Moscow

Speaker Biography

John Joseph Sullivan is an American attorney and government official who served as the United States Ambassador to Russia from 2020 to 2022, and who previously served as the 19th United States Deputy Secretary of State from 2017 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Sullivan served as Acting United States Secretary of State from April 1, 2018, to April 26, 2018, following President Donald Trump's dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on March 13, 2018, until Tillerson's official successor, Mike Pompeo, was sworn in. Tillerson did not officially leave office until March 31, 2018. Sullivan, however, was delegated all responsibilities of the Secretary of State beginning March 13. On October 11, 2019, President Trump nominated Sullivan to be the United States Ambassador to Russia. Sullivan remained Ambassador to Russia during the presidential transition of Joe Biden.