Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared tense and angry in the early days of the invasion of Ukraine, spending long days away from the public scene, threatening nuclear attacks on the West and even directing his anger at anti-war opponents. as “fale”. But it seems that the West saw the new Putin in June as he appeared in the pre-war image, as described by the New York Times as calm, gentle and confident, so what has changed? ?
On Wednesday, June 29, footage emerged of Putin smiling along the runway of a sunny Turkmenistan airport, removing his suit jacket before climbing into a Russian-made armored limousine before heading to a summit of five Caspian nations. .
The trip is the latest step in a broader transformation of Putin that has unfolded in recent weeks. His transformation marks a departure from the state of crisis of war and a return to the aura of a “quiet paternal leader” who protects Russians from the dangers of the outside world, as described by The New York Times, and shows that Putin believes It is that after the initial military defeats of Russia and the flood of western sanctions, he has succeeded in stabilizing the efforts of war, economy, political and even economic system.
Abbas Galyamov, Putin’s former speechwriter, described the president’s point of view and said: “The initial shock has passed and the situation is not so bad.”
But Putin’s shift in rhetoric and body language also suggests he is beginning to revert to his “old instincts” in an effort to hide dangers that still loom, including Ukraine showing no signs of letting up, NATO Expanding and united, and peace on the home front continues to suffer the consequences of sanctions and the consequences of war in terms of death and destruction.
“Putin knows that his legitimacy depends on being strong and energetic, acting and winning,” said Galyamov, now a political consultant.
Putin’s most important messages this week revolved around the idea that Russia’s global isolation is not comprehensive, and that he is unfazed by NATO summit pledges to support Ukraine and strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank.
Putin’s visit to Central Asia is notable because it is the first time he has left his country since the attack began on February 24 and because he has taken exceptional measures during the pandemic. Putin spent the night outside the borders of Russia for the first time since January 2020, after traveling to Tajikistan on Monday, June 28, to meet with the country’s President Imam Ali Rahmon.
On Wednesday, Putin went to Turkmenistan to participate in the meeting of the heads of the five countries bordering the Caspian Sea, including Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Iran. The meeting was of practical importance as Russia seeks to expand its influence in that vital energy-rich economic region while trying to fill the power vacuum left by the U.S. withdrawal from nearby Afghanistan. .
But the summit also had symbolic significance for Putin’s domestic audience and presented a split-page picture of Russia’s diplomatic activity and soft power at the same time as the Western summit in Madrid.
Putin then held a brief press conference in which he reiterated that he was in no rush to end the war. For Tatiana Stanovaya, a veteran Kremlin expert based in France, Putin’s latest appearance represents the latest version of his usual swing between periods of intense private activity and periods of intense public activity.
Putin has been silent for weeks during periods of high stress, such as before the attack in the winter, when he did not speak publicly about Ukraine for more than a month and went several days without appearing in front of the cameras on more than one occasion. occasion.
But at other times, Putin can slip into a series of liberal events by Kremlin standards, as he did this month, when he spent at least 90 minutes with young entrepreneurs at City Council, then a week later for nearly four hours on The scene appeared. In St. Petersburg International Economy.
He must know the reactions after his very shocking and long steps, because he starts to appear in public, to open up, to speak more openly and actively, as if he is under the sun to see what he has really done. Tatiana said about Putin.
The New York Times says Putin’s isolation has been exacerbated by the pandemic, accompanied by “outbursts of anger and outright resentment” — spontaneous or deliberate — toward the West. Admittedly, his ominous language, the delivery of Western arms to Ukraine, and Russia’s defeat on the battlefield have led many analysts to conclude that Putin may be considering limited use of tactical nuclear weapons to force the West to capitulate.
But Putin has played down his threats and has recently returned to a quieter public face. In a sideline speech at the city council, the Russian leader likened his battle to the 18th-century conquests of Emperor Peter the Great and made it clear that he sees himself as a historical figure who has been on a mission for years. Restore the lost lands and glory of Russia.
Expectations that Putin would officially declare war or begin the process of military mobilization did not materialize. Nor did Western actions that Russian officials describe as aggressive, such as Ukraine’s candidacy for the European Union and the invitation of Sweden and Finland to NATO, to provoke any retaliation from Putin.
Instead, his strategy seems to hinge on waiting to see what happens, waiting for Europe’s resolve to collapse under economic pressure and for the Ukrainian government led by Volodymyr Zelensky to capitulate, along with Russian bombing of Russian forces and cities. According to Tatiana, Putin is experiencing a kind of improvement in his view of Washington, with the understanding that US President Joe Biden is limiting the amount of aid to Ukraine to avoid a bigger conflict. “It’s a bet that Kyiv authorities will fully accept the status quo over time,” Tatiana said.
But this approach certainly carries significant risks, with the American newspaper saying that “Putin’s implicit assumption that Ukrainians will welcome the Russians as liberators reveals his misunderstanding of Ukraine.” Inside Russia, the consequences of Western sanctions continue. This point occurred when he warned. On Wednesday, the unexpected strength of the ruble threatened the competitiveness of Russian exporters.
However, Putin did not mention Ukraine or his confrontation with the West during his eight-minute speech in Turkmenistan on Wednesday, another sign that business is returning to some semblance of normality. He spoke instead of Russia’s efforts to improve transport and tourism in the region and to solve the problem of pollution and deteriorating fisheries. He said: Next year, the first cruise ship will enter the Caspian Sea from the Astrakhan region of Russia on the banks of the Volga River named Peter the Great.
Source: Lebanon Debate
