Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir from the Front Lines of Russia’s War Against the West

Midnight in Moscow is a gripping, first-hand account of the collapse of U.S.-Russia relations, written by John J. Sullivan, who served on the diplomatic front lines during one of the most consequential moments in modern history, the lead-up to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. A memoir of service, it offers a behind-the-scenes account of how U.S.-Russia relations reached their lowest point, while also serving as a playbook for the confrontation ahead.

In the tense weeks before February 24, 2022, Sullivan warned Washington that an invasion was imminent. When a prearranged middle-of-the-night code confirmed that Russian troops had crossed the border, he rushed to the U.S. Embassy as war began. Through vivid, insider detail, Sullivan takes readers inside both the Kremlin and the American diplomatic mission in Moscow, revealing how the Putin regime misled the world, escalated hostility toward the United States, and reshaped the global landscape.

Part memoir and part strategic warning, Midnight in Moscow provides a rare insider’s perspective on how this conflict began, and how its outcome will shape America’s future. Sullivan previously served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and is now a senior counsel at Mayer Brown.