As I myself posted here in 2009, Barack Obama from the start projected a dangerous weakness in foreign policy, as I saw a future Putin proclaiming
'Yes We Can' invade Ukraine... and what are you going to do about it?
Sorry to say that's all come to be, as the hapless, largely abandoned Ukrainians -and their lukewarm sponsors in the West- have been repeatedly outmaneuvered by Vladimir Putin, both militarily and diplomatically.
Sanctions have indeed hurt the Russian economy, yet nobody is better than the Kremlin at squeezing the plebes' living standards in the name of
national-imperialist pride, same as the did during the Cold War. I'm not sure how much you can trust Russian public opinion polls, but they do routinely show Putin's support to be sky-high... and durable.
national-imperialist pride, same as the did during the Cold War. I'm not sure how much you can trust Russian public opinion polls, but they do routinely show Putin's support to be sky-high... and durable.
But as long as the elite supporting Putin are still there -and with his new Schutzstaffel at the ready to nip any color revolutions in the bud- the Russian leader will be doing as he damn well pleases for the next 9 months, including military adventurism in Ukraine, Middle East, and possibly even Transnistria/Moldova or the (NATO member) Baltic states.
Unless of course Trump wins the US presidency...
in which case the Russians will feel welcome to make a go
for Poland and Romania too.
in which case the Russians will feel welcome to make a go
for Poland and Romania too.