NEWSWATCH International New York Times/Maxim Trudolyubov: “Putin’s Emergency Politics”
Writing in The International New York Times, Maxim Trudolyubov comments upon Russia’s relationship with Europe and the United States, and policies towards Syria and Ukraine, in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in France.
Much has changed for Vladimir Putin since the terror attacks in Paris. The trope that aggressions in Crimea and Ukraine show that he is more of a threat to the West than ISIS was useful to President Obama’s critics, but that’s now older than yesterday’s news. Given the joint French-Russian airstrikes against ISIS in Syria last week, Russia is now a de facto Western ally. Putin the pariah has a shot at redemption, or so it might seem.
One side-effect of how the terrorist threat is handled is said to be Russian opportunism pushing for greater domination of Ukraine, and more acquiescence from the West.
Though it’s difficult to guess what concessions Mr. Putin might demand in exchange for Russian cooperation against ISIS, it is quite clear what he wants on Ukraine: A redrawn constitution, elections that install a pro-Moscow government, and a settlement of the fighting that will keep the country in the Kremlin’s orbit.