> sow a fair amount of discord between Western allies
From my outsiders perspective, I have never seen Europe so unified. Putin has inspired an astonishing amount of camaraderie amongst his western neighbors.
From my outsiders perspective, I have never seen Europe so unified. Putin has inspired an astonishing amount of camaraderie amongst his western neighbors.
Whether or not he takes Ukraine is pretty much irrelevant now. They will have the equivalent of a warmonger penalty for at least a decade. I wonder if there is any truth to the rumor that he is sick, that's the only way I see that the whole puzzle fits.
Dictators have a tendency to surround themselves with yes-men over time as well, that's probably playing into this some.
Now I'm sure he realizes he miscalculated, but it's unclear how to stand down.