The Folly of Realism

How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine

By: Alexander Vindman

Narrated by: Jacques Roy, Alexander Vindman

A bestselling national security expert delivers a chilling analysis of how Western indecision and apathy made possible the return of brutal Russian expansionism – with catastrophic consequences.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, six US presidential administrations of both parties pursued policies for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia that emboldened Russia, playing into its imperialist, centuries-long mythos of regional hegemony. The result: military aggression and full-scale invasion. It was all too foreseeable.

In The Folly of Realism, leading national security expert and bestselling author Alexander Vindman argues that America’s mistakes in Eastern Europe result from policymakers’ fixation on immediate, short-term problem-solving and misplaced hopes and fears. He proposes a new long-term, values-based approach that insists on the fundamentals of liberal democracy and a rules-based world order.

Enlivened by firsthand accounts and behind-the-scenes interviews with leading Washington and international policymakers and culminating in the shocking brutality of Putin’s invasions of Ukraine, the book exposes the follies of western foreign policymaking, sources of the dangerous return of Russian imperialism, and proscribes how it can be contained.

Critic reviews

"Alex Vindman combines decades of experience in the U.S. military and government with academic insight to explain how successive American administrations misjudged Russia and emboldened the Kremlin to start the largest conventional war in Europe since 1945. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand what went wrong and how it can be fixed"
—Serhii Plokhy, the author of The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History

Excelent insights

I like the insights, the clear writing of complex ideas, the factual detail. A must read.

A first hand explanation of how we got here

I really liked the historical review of events that led Russia to invade Ukraine… and how the U S played a role. Also.. I trust Vindman!

Great foreign policy analysis

Excellent background on the history of the Ukraine war and strategies for the future. Mr. Vindman has the background and intelligence to give a memorable discussion.

Fantastic blend of history and analysis

Lt Col Vindman's recounting of recent US policy and its misplaced aims (and poor results) as well as his championing of neo-idealism is both insightful and a breath of fresh air.

Good book, unlistenable narration

A well-written and important book rendered completely unlistenable by terrible narration. How did this happen?