We need to talk about Putin. He seems to have lost his aura of omnipotence as he confronts not only a pandemic but a rapidly changing society. His ability to influence events in Russia’s neighborhood appears to be diminished. And he is rumored to be increasingly isolated and his decision making less sure footed.
For two decades, Vladimir Putin has been the master of the Russian universe. But 2020 may go down as the year when he lost his mojo.
So, yes, we do need to talk about Putin. And today we will, with the man who quite literally wrote the book about it. On the premiere episode of the new Power Vertical Podcast, I put the old band back together and talk to my former co-host Mark Galeotti, author of the book We Need To Talk About Putin.
Enjoy…
The Power Vertical Podcast is produced by the University of Texas at Arlington’s Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies and the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.
Photo: “Wreath laying ceremony at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.” President of Russia, June 2017.