Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir From the Front Lines of Russia's War Against the West

A memoir of service by the American ambassador who was on the diplomatic front lines when Putin invaded Ukraine, Midnight in Moscow is the first behind-the-scenes account of how U.S.-Russia relations hit their nadir—and a playbook for our unfolding confrontation. For weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, John J. Sullivan, the U.S. ambassador in Moscow, was warning that it would happen. When troops finally crossed the border, he was woken in the middle of the night with a prearranged code. The signal was even more bracing than the February cold: it meant that Sullivan needed to collect his bodyguards and get to the embassy as soon as possible. The war had begun, and the world would never be the same. In Midnight in Moscow , Sullivan leads readers into the offices of the U.S. embassy and the halls of the Kremlin during this climactic period—among the most dangerous since World War II. He shows how the Putin regime repeatedly lied about its intentions to invade Ukraine in the weeks leading up to the attack, while also devoting huge numbers of personnel and vast resources to undermining the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia. And he explains how, when Putin ultimately gave the order to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he proved that Russia was not just at war with its neighbor: it was also at war, in a very real sense, with the United States, and with everything that it represents. But while Putin decided how this conflict started, its ending will be shaped by us. With his unique perspective on a pivotal moment in world history, Sullivan shows how our relationship with Russia has deteriorated, where it’s headed, and how far we should be prepared to go in standing up to the menace in Moscow. Review “Sullivan is a captivating storyteller and astute interpreter of Russian actions and duplicity . . . [Midnight in Moscow is] an excellent eyewitness account of one of America’s most powerful adversaries.”―Booklist “Sullivan’s knowledgeable text must be heeded.... With the authority of personal experience, Sullivan paints a vivid, dark, frightening picture of Russia in the Putin era.”―Kirkus Reviews (starred) ” Midnight in Moscow is an elegantly written and riveting account of serving in the toughest diplomatic post in the world. John Sullivan’s empathy, dedication to duty, and humility run through this book. I hope that young Americans will read it, and will and emulate the author’s commitment to selfless service.”―H.R. McMaster, New York Times bestselling author of Dereliction of Duty, Battlegrounds, and At War with Ourselves “John Sullivan's deep understanding of decision-making by Putin and other Russian senior leaders is rivaled only by legendary observers such as Ambassadors Kennan, Harriman, or Burns. His writing is crisp as he walks us through the critical meetings and crises from Covid to the fall of Afghanistan to the unprovoked war of aggression when Russia invaded Ukraine, clearly describing the various events in detail as if you are there in the room but also, and more importantly, explaining the ‘why’ and ‘what is to be done’ from a U.S. National Security perspective. Midnight in Moscow is a fascinating eyewitness account and a must-read for anyone interested in the most consequential events of our time."―Mark Milley, General (Retired), U.S. Army "Riveting and rich in detail, Midnight in Moscow ranges from the 'pressure cooker' of Donald Trump's Washington to the 'hot seat' of Moscow, offering an illuminating account of the last-ditch diplomatic efforts to head off disaster as Vladimir Putin careens toward war with Ukraine. Readers will be grateful that such a distinguished diplomat was on hand for this difficult time."―Fiona Hill, New York Times bestselling author of There Is Nothing for You Here “ Midnight in Moscow is nonfiction that reads like a thriller. With rich, personal details, John Sullivan lifts the curtain on the real Russia and offers a compelling portrait of tough, effective diplomacy in our complex world.”―Wendy R. Sherman, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State “An extraordinary if not unprecedented frontline memoir by one of our nation's most experienced public servants, Midnight in Moscow weaves history, politics, and firsthand accounts into a timeless and valuable portrait of contemporary U.S.-Russia relations. Ambassador Sullivan’s remarkable narrative gives policy makers and casual readers alike a rare glimpse into the makeup and future of one of the planet’s most challenging and critical bilateral relationships.”―Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and China “The roster of public servants who have held the ambassadorial post in Moscow includes names like George Kennan and Averell Harriman, and John Sullivan has earned a place in the same sentence as those celebrated gentlemen... Midnight in Moscow is not only a compelling account of Sullivan’s years as our ambassador to Russia and a brilliant assessment of what lurks inside the mind of Vladimir Putin, but also a master class in how to be an effective, thoughtful, and humble public servant.” ―James N. Mattis, General (Retired), US Marine Corps About the Author John J. Sullivan is an American attorney and government official whose career spans four decades in the public and private sectors. He has served five presidents in prominent diplomatic and legal positions, including as U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation under Presidents Joe Biden (January 2021 to October 2022) and Donald Trump (December 2019 to January 2021). Before his post in Moscow, he served for almost three years as the U.S. deputy secretary of state. He is currently a distinguished fellow at Georgetown and Columbia Universities, a partner in Mayer Brown LLP, and a member of the congressionally-chartered, bipartisan Commission on Reform and Modernization of the Department of State. He splits his time between the Washington, DC area and Connecticut. A memoir of service by the most recent U.S. ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, who was on the diplomatic front lines when Putin invaded Ukraineand who is now presenting the first behind-the-scenes account of how U.S.-Russia relations hit their nadir, and explaining where we can go from here. For weeks before the invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan was warning that it would happen. When troops finally crossed the border, he was woken in the middle of the night by an employee at Embassy Moscow with a prearranged code. The signal was even more bracing than the cold of that February it meant that Sullivan needed to collect his bodyguards and get to the embassy as soon as possible. The war had begun, and U.S.-Russia relations would never be the same. In Midnight in Moscow , Sullivan offers a memoir of his last post, as well as a broader argument about how our relationship with Russia has deteriorated over the past three years and where its going. His arrival in Moscow coincided almost exactly with a dramatic series of escalations by the Kremlin. He saw firsthand how the Russian leadership repeatedly lied about their intentions to invade Ukraine in the weeks leading up to the attackwhile also devoting huge numbers of personnel and vast resources to undermining the U.S. diplomatic presence in Russia. But it was not until Vladimir Putin gave the order to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 25, 2022 that Sullivan had to admit that Russia was not just at war with its it was also at war, in a very real sense, with the United States, and with everything that it represents. Russian leaders treachery and naked hostility, he says, is definitive proof that there can be no negotiation with Putins regime or with the Russians at large until their government is thoroughly transformed. A unique perspective on a pivotal moment in world history, Midnight in Moscow also draws shocking historical parallels to explain why we need to stand up to Moscowand how far we should be prepared to go in that confrontation. Cover Title Page Copyright Dedication Map Foreword Introduction: August 31, 1939 Part I: The Road to Moscow Chapter 1: A New Challenge Chapter 2: The Gauntlet Chapter 3: Early Skirmishes Part II: Night Falls Chapter 4: Polite Reception by Hostile Government Chapter 5: Mission Russia Chapter 6: The Chekist Chapter 7: Isolation and Transition Chapter 8: Matters of Concern Chapter 9: Elusive Search for Stability Part III: The March to War Chapter 10: Rumors of War Chapter 11: A Gun on the Table Part IV: Conflagration Chapter 12: Aggressive War Chapter 13: No Easy Days Chapter 14: Two Funerals Chapter 15: A Crime Against Peace Epilogue: What Is to Be Done? Photos Acknowledgments Discover More About the Author