Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia, posted an intriguing tweet on Friday, generating some bemused and confused responses.

Putin is winning in Syria. — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 12, 2016

@McFaul what do you mean? — Sasha ✿ Belanovsky (@Belanovsky) February 12, 2016

@McFaul what metrics are you using? — Jay Geraghty (@JayGeraghty) February 12, 2016

When questioned on Twitter as to what exactly he meant by “winning,” the former diplomat replied:

Creating facts on the ground beneficial to his Syrian ally https://t.co/DQyQrskLna — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 12, 2016

McFaul resigned from his diplomatic position in February of 2014, ostensibly to spend more time with his family in California. He is currently a professor of political science at Stanford University.

His apparently enthusiastic tweet about Putin – coming in marked contrast to his previous comments on Russian foreign policy – raised some eyebrows, as well as reflections on the US’ involvement in war-torn Syria:

@McFaul That's not bad with only 69 planes and a bunch of choppers. What has the USA-led coalition been doing all this time? — Hans Sausage (@hans_sausage) February 12, 2016

Are you upset, Professor @McFaul? Who is loosing in Syria? — Ийон Тихий (@tichyij) February 12, 2016

@McFaul not a worry. your country can find itself useful someplace else. south china sea perhaps? — RaubRabe (@Raubrabe) February 12, 2016

READ MORE: US Ambassador to Russia announces resignation



McFaul’s odd tweet comes just after a plan to end hostilities in Syria was reached between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry at a meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in Munich yesterday.

Following the meeting, Lavrov said that Moscow is counting on the US and other ISSG countries to put pressure on the Syrian opposition to cooperate with the UN.

Kerry acknowledged it remains to be seen if the agreements can stand the “real test” of getting the parties involved in the Syrian conflict to honor their commitments.

READ MORE: ‘US needs to talk turkey to Turkey, Saudis on Syria invasion’

