Putin is playing the long game. He has a strategic plan in mind: the Eurasian Union, which would be in competition to Europe.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Putin probably, almost certainly, thinks that one of the great disasters of the 20th century was the demise of the Soviet Union. It's very obvious that he's trying to work its way back and maintain something similar to that sort of institution.
Putin needs strong moves to keep the country as one. There is some criticism that he is centralizing power, but in Russia, if you don't centralize power, you have the risk of losing the country.
If I correctly understand the goal of American policy, one wishes Russia to be a partner.
It's essential for the U.S. and Europe to prevent Putin from going farther and reversing the hard-won independence of former Soviet republics.
Russia can become a strategic partner in a fight against international terrorism.
True, Putin's Russia does not dream of joining the E.U., but Russia's stability depends on preserving the European nature of its regime.
You don't have to be a brilliant historian to know that in Europe, messing with countries' borders, messing with their self-determination, their ability to choose their own futures, this is extremely dangerous, and that's why I think it is important to stand up to Putin.
Russia will occupy most of the good food lands of central Europe while we have the industrial portions. We must find some way of persuading Russia to play ball.
Putin has put Russia on a path to be a world power with global influence.
Vladimir Putin is decisive. He's committed to victory, and he now has aircraft and surface-to-air missiles and main battle tanks in Syria.
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