Putin is NOT Gorbachev. He has made it a point not to be loud and clear. Stalin is a hero in today’s Russia. Not Gorbachev. He is outright villainized and cursed at times, for how he capitulated to the U.S. in their view.
Putin and his oligarchs have about 1 trillion US dollars stored in Western banks. This, among other investments and holdings resulting from the continued plundering of Russia’s national resources made at the expense of the population.
So sanctions bite.
He has to protect these interests plus he needs the Russian economy stable enough so as to prevent a mini-revolution or outcry from the population (like the “Euromaidan” that took place in Ukraine in 2013.) So he is definitely pragmatic.
But otherwise, his geopolitical goal is 1) to destabilize and diminish America’s superpower status and interests however much possible 2) maintain as much a grip on Empire, which is why he took Crimea and continues to feel threatened by Ukraine’s desire to integrate with Europe economically.
Former Soviet states like Kazahkstan are moving in a Westward direction as well and going so far as to adopt the Latin alphabet. This is a big no-no for Putin.
Trump is thankfully gaining a handle on things by readjusting our foreign policy. It as when we were at our weakest that Putin was able to take Crimea and make headway into the Middle East as well.
I agree with you that “neocon” policies did not serve us well...but Putin’s Russia has adopted THOSE for themselves, rather than adopting the institutions which make America great: freedom, truly free markets, etc...
You’re right. Putin is not Gorbochev. Gorbochev rule over a vast Soviet empire of which Crimea was a very small slice. Putin rules over Russia and measley Crimea, nothing more