MICHAEL MCFAUL

After tough talk between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin over the Russian troop buildup on the Ukraine border, both sides insist they are hopeful that a pathway to easing tensions could open during diplomatic talks set for January.

Host Michael Morell talks with the former ambassador to Russia about Putin's geopolitical objectives and anxieties about the West.

President Joe Biden frequently talks about what he sees as central in executing effective foreign policy: building personal relationships.

If President Joe Biden has any private words with Russia’s Vladimir Putin at their meeting next week, U.S. interpreters and diplomats will be standing by to document their high-stakes encounter.

President Joe Biden this past week found himself in search of a foreign policy sweet spot: somewhere between pulling a screeching U-turn on four years of Trumpism and cautiously approaching the world as it is.

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON – Less than two weeks in office, President Joe Biden is facing two critical tests of whether the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol has damaged America’s standing as a beacon for democracy. That policy was marked by the frequent disparagement of democratic allies and the occasional embrace of authoritarian leaders. “The Biden election doesn't mean much to him about his theory about liberal democracy. Adversaries such as China, Iran and Venezuela pointed to the Capitol riot as evidence of the fragility of U.S. democracy. Even some allies said the scene was unsettling and has caused them to reconsider the United States' position as the self-proclaimed beacon of democracy.

The Biden administration has pushed to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, with Russia for five years, which is set to expire on Feb. 5. Michael McFaul told CNBC's "The News with Shepard Smith" that the expiration of New START with Russia would make the U.S. "worse off." I say don't trust, only verify, and the New START treaty allows us to do this. He agreed with McFaul and told "The News with Shepard Smith" that the accord stabilizes relations between the two nuclear powers. McFaul told host Shepard Smith that he thinks the response against Russia will likely be sanctions, but that the Biden administration has choices when it comes to penalties against Russia.