Contemporary Russia Through a Diplomat's Eye

Diplomat Thomas Leary served in Russia at two very different periods: 1999-2004 and 2015-2019. His first term there came during the growing decline in U.S.-Russian relations and the difficult aftermath of Russia’s 1998 financial crisis. By the time Mr. Leary returned to St. Petersburg as U.S. Consul General in 2015, the freeze between the two countries was deepening because of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Meanwhile at home Russia had become both much more prosperous and more authoritarian. In his talk, he will describe his experiences—professional and personal—during these two terms. Though currently U.S.-Russian interactions and the conditions in Russia obviously offer few grounds for optimism, he hopes to convey why the relationship matters and why a foreign service career offers both challenges and rewards for today’s Middlebury students.

Sponsored by:  Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs,
Rohatyn Global Fellows Program and Russian and Eastern European Studies