Putin is no saint. However he is a Russian nationalist and a serious man. When the chaos in the Ukraine offered an opportunity, he fulfilled a Russian nationalist dream and reincorporated the Crimea into Russia. The West had no more power to stop him than they had the power to stop China from seizing Tibet. Obama , Kerry and McCain made the situation worse with their rants and pouting. Their comments simply underscored the disastrous foreign policy of this administration and the prior debacles. Arab spring,Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, the Iran deal, Iraq, Venezuela, China all reflect a critical misunderstanding of political realities and the long term detrimental consequences of American actions. Americans (at least those who care) have realized that there are critical flaws in American leadership and policy.
Putin rectified Khrushchev’s mistake.
Exactly - Russia is not going to be deterred by weak men from achieving its interests.
Having secured Crimea, Moscow opened the door for secessionists to carve up the rest of Ukraine. And the helplessness of the Kiev regime makes their job all that much easier.
Putin doesn’t have to risk outright war to dismember Ukraine. The playbook he appears to be executing appears to leave the West with no clear way to stop him. He knows it and they know it in the Western chancelleries.
Putin holds all the cards.