The article critiques the prevalent view of Vladimir Putin as merely a transactional leader. It argues that this perspective fails to recognize his ideological motivations and long-term vision for Russia, driven by a desire to restore the power and influence of the Russian empire. The author, who served under Obama, emphasizes that understanding Putin's ideological stance is essential to comprehending his foreign policy actions and the rise of 'Putinism' in the West. This mischaracterization has led to dangerous underestimations of his ambitions.
For too long, we in the West have underestimated Putin's global ideological vision as an animating force for his foreign-policy agenda. The tragic consequence is that today Putinism is advancing across Europe and the United States.
The Putin who has governed Russia this past quarter century is an ideologue. He has developed a strong set of ideas about how Russia should be ruled and what place it should occupy in the world.
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