"No circumstances could ever force anyone to change one's fundamental nature, although occasionally one might be forced to act against it [this always breeds deepest resentment, and for this reason such situations are transient]. It is "not there", and under no circumstances will cows fly."
Gee-GSlob--we need to establish the great FR thinkers hall of fame and give you the honorary place there -:))) !
Then to answer your argument, I would hope that Putin be forced to act against his fundamental nature -:))))
Yes, you could force him to do so - say [as a figurative illustration] by keeping a gun to his head. And then the question becomes, how long could you maintain [or even keep increasing due to the building resentment] such a pressure, and what would happen if you weaken or remove it. Identities are extremely resilient things, as the Israelis have found over last 60+ years, and as Russia itself found, and is finding, in places like Poland or Chechnya. To force him into behaving against what he is would be quite a trick.