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Sam Greene

@samagreene.bsky.social

17K followers 480 following 390 posts

Professor of Russian Politics, King's College London. Political sociologist. Progressive. Co-author, Putin v the People. 🇬🇧/🇺🇸

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Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Feb 10

For the avoidance of doubt: The opinions and analysis I express on this platform are my own and do not reflect the positions of any particular institution.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · 11d

Get better analysis of the Russian economy than Trump does. Tune into Sasha & Sasha at The Bell.

pro.thebell.io/webinar_sept...

The Bell — A webinar with Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr

When Will Russia Run Out of Money?

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · 12d

The list of countries that have moved to outlaw Soros and the Open Society Foundations is long.

Oddly enough, it does not include any democracies.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · 18d

Remember when the anti-immigrant MAGA base went to war against Elon and Vivek over visas? Looks like they found a compromise. on.ft.com/4nisPq2

Donald Trump plans to raise cost of H-1B foreign worker visa to $100,000

Shares in IT consulting groups drop on news of changes to scheme popular with Silicon Valley

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · 22d

Hey New York! Come hang out on Thursday at @nyujordancenter.bsky.social!

harriman.columbia.edu/event/10-yea...

10 Years of Observing US-Russia Relations

Please join the New York University Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia and Harriman Institute at Columbia University for the concluding event in the New York-Russia Public Policy series.

harriman.columbia.edu

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 23

In this view of the world, there is no room for people endowed with free will and inalienable rights. There is only room for humanoid furniture, animatronics whose function is to soothe the aesthetic senses of those who believe that true power—even in a republic—is inherited.

The Amish Anglo-Catholic @amishcatholic.bsky.social · Aug 23

This is just textbook 1930’s fascism

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 23

So, the party of limited government, strict constitutional originalism and free markets is now lining up for federal troops in cities, government-imposed censorship in education and state ownership of major corporations.

Shocking, but not surprising, I suppose.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

A genuinely productive negotiating process will be a complicated and protracted one. But if Trump doesn’t have the patience for that kind of process, or if Putin is able to maneuver him into impatience, Europe will have to push back.

/END

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

The Trump-led process is predicated on the notion that security can be had without accountability. That may be true for America across the ocean, so that is doubtful. If Europeans are to own their own security, however, they will have to draw their own conclusions.

/10

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

Meanwhile, even as everyone is talking about security guarantees and “land swaps”, note what we’re not talking about: reparations, accountability for war, crimes, and dealing with the fact that Russia is bent on military dominion in its neighborhood.

/9

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

Europe and Ukraine will also need to decide what genuine security looks like. They will not trust assurances from Moscow, and they may be learning that they can’t trust assurances from Washington either.

/8

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

A cease-fire or any other agreement, whether it involves a land swap or not, requires scrupulous attention to detail. In other words, it requires someone other than the current American top team to do the negotiating. But that’s only half the problem.

/7

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

There is no inherent reason why a cease-fire cannot be reached in Ukraine, and Trump may be even deserves some credit for creating a process that brings that forward. But if Europe wants a cease-fire that delivers genuine security, it may have to run the process from here.

/6

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

If Zelenskyy and his European allies all go home and leave the ball in the Trump/Putin side of the court, the best outcome they can hope for is more confusion.

/5

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

Trump has once again shown himself to be malleable, putting some kind of security guarantees, and even a return to discussion of a cease-fire back on the table. Who knows what will happen when he gets off the phone with Putin later today.

/4

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

The apocalyptic scenario—another blowup in the Oval Office—was avoided, and that’s good. But the second worst possible outcome was that the European leaders who accompany Zelenskyy would breathe a sigh of relief, and I’m afraid that may be what we’re seeing.

/3

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

First things first: if we’ve learned anything thus far, it’s that we should give it 12-18 hours before drawing conclusions about anything involving Trump and Putin. Not that that will stop anybody.

Thus, my way too early take is that … I’m nervous.

/2

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

For six months now, European leaders have confused Trump‘s malleability for an opportunity. What it really means is that US policy is not the foundation on which European and Ukrainian security can be built.

A quick thread

/1

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 18

As we wait: the morning after the day before and before the day after

tldrussia.substack.com/p/tldrussia-...

TL;DRussia Special Edition

18 August 2025: The morning after the day before and before the day after

tldrussia.substack.com

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 17

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s US-Ukraine-Europe meeting in the White House, for @npr.org

www.npr.org/2025/08/17/n...

What to expect from Zelenskyy's White House visit, ahead of potential peace deal

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Sam Greene, Professor of Russian Politics at King's College London, about what kind of deal could be reached to end the war in Ukraine.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 16

Most of us had assumed, I think, that the Anchorage summit ended early because the sides couldn’t agree on much.

Turns out Putin just decided to quit while he was ahead.

The ball is now in Europe’s court.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 16

Ok, so this tweet didn’t age well. The piece did, though:

“Reversing this trajectory will require … a commitment to the near-term reduction of European dependence on US decision-making, while simultaneously building credible deterrence against Moscow.”

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 15

As expected, Trump and Putin leave Anchorage adrift. As I wrote Thursday for @cepa.org, the question now is as it has long been: can Europe take charge?

cepa.org/article/unmo...

Unmoored in Anchorage: Europe’s Dangerous Game

Europe has done everything possible to align itself with the US administration. That has avoided difficult decisions, but comes at a risk.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 15

As expected, Trump and Putin leave Anchorage adrift. As I wrote Thursday for @cepa.org, the question now is as it has long been: can Europe take charge?

cepa.org/article/unmo...

Unmoored in Anchorage: Europe’s Dangerous Game

Europe has done everything possible to align itself with the US administration. That has avoided difficult decisions, but comes at a risk.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 14

Maybe — just maybe — we could accept that Labour have done the analysis and know what they’re doing?

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 13

Because nothing will ever seem like enough.

Sam Greene @samagreene.bsky.social · Aug 13

"The risk is not that Europe overreaches, but that it undershoots. Europe will never have all the resources it needs to assure itself of victory. Failing to go to diplomatic war with the army it has, however, assures it of defeat."

My two cents ahead of Anchorage for @cepa.org

Unmoored in Anchorage: Europe’s Dangerous Game

Europe has done everything possible to align itself with the US administration. That has avoided difficult decisions, but comes at a risk.