Putin Archives - L Todd Wood

How To Deal With Russia

Many pundits have attempted to explain the rationale behind Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, Syria, and elsewhere. I think it is very simple: Putin wants to make Russia great again. He has some successes and some failures…

Washington Times: Putin Ascendant Over NATO As Turkey Turns Tail

Turkey, a NATO member, shot down a Russian SU-24 fighter bomber that briefly entered its airspace during attacks on rebels in Syria in late 2015. The deliberate Turkish action was meant to push back against an aggressive Russia that had repeatedly ignored Turkish warnings, showing a complete disregard for the sovereignty of a NATO country…

Washington Times: As The EU Dithers, Putin Enjoys The Show

There has been a global outbreak of nervousness in the long run-up to Britain’s Brexit vote Thursday, with European Union politicians and heads of state apoplectic about the possibility of a member of the club saying no thanks and walking away from the utopia they have created. International markets and traders have been on edge for weeks, the polls have only fed the uncertainty, and both sides are recalculating now as the votes are in. But there is one place where they have been just sitting back and enjoying the show — Moscow…

Washington Times: In and Out, Vladimir Putin’s Masterful Syria Ploy

Vladimir Putin stunned the West with his announcement this week that Russia was removing the bulk of its expeditionary force fighting in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad in that country’s civil war. However, if you look at the development from the perspective of Moscow’s national interest, the removal of Russia’s air assets makes perfect sense. Mr. Putin’s decision is perfectly aligned with Kremlin’s geopolitical goal of regaining influence on the world stage…

Washington Times: Behind The Curtain-Putin’s Financial Wisdom

Russian President Vladimir Putin liRussian President Vladimir Putin lived through the collapse of the Soviet Union, a fact often noted by pundits when attempting to offer a glimpse into his view of the world. However, Mr. Putin also lived through the Russian default and financial collapse of 1998, and both events have seared certain lessons into his psyche…

Washington Times: Ukrainian Politicians Doing Putin’s Job For Him

Everyone knows the story of how Russia has tried to keep Ukraine in the Kremlin’s orbit and prevent the Ukrainian people from moving closer to the European Union. After all, this is the reason there is still a war smoldering in Donbass on the Russian border in the Ukrainian East. Moscow has worked to keep Kiev unstable after the Maidan Revolution and therefore unable to grow economically and politically, in a bid to extract an exorbitant cost for Ukraine’s desires…

Washington Times: Ukrainian Politicians Doing Putin’s Job For Him