Thread: Why is it so difficult for Russia and Europe to understand each other? Putin’s irrational politics have caused a deep misunderstanding between Russia and Europe. I outline 7 realities that would help Europe better understand Russia: ceip.org/2yoMznR 1/
The nature of the support Putin enjoys in Russia is no enigma: as the longest-serving Russian leader since Stalin, Putin for the majority of the Russians is an eternal leader, a symbol of the country, a flag around which to rally. 2/
Putin is a classic autocrat behaving like any autocrat in the world. The fact that he is Russia’s autocrat doesn’t change anything. 3/
For the average Russian, it is more rational not to participate in the protest movement and instead accept an informal social contract. The essence of mass support for Putin is total indifference—the fear of a worse life under a different leader. 4/
Sanctions will not change Putin’s policies. The average Russian sees Western sanctions not as provoked by concrete reasons, but as an attack on Russia. When the nation is under attack, people rally around their commander as if in a besieged fortress. carnegie.ru/2018/03/07/fro… 5/
Alexei Navalny, while the most prominent opposition leader in Russia, is not the voice of the entire opposition movement. The most vocal protest movement in Russia is not politicized but is motivated by pragmatic issues like the expansion of landfills. carnegie.ru/commentary/761… 6/
Reform is not possible in Russia, because Putin cannot change the political foundations of his system. If he does, it will collapse. 7/
And Putin is not a strong leader. The role of a global spoiler is not equivalent to that of a real global player. 8/
As he is most concerned about his own security, Putin needs the same kind of successor that he was for Boris Yeltsin. So what Putin needs is just that: another Putin. ceip.org/2yoMznR 9/9
