Russia : Over the past decade, Vladimir Putin’s resurgent Russia has been a perpetual concern for many in the West.
These concerns are not baseless. It’s undeniable that Putin and the President’s inner circle have grown in confidence during this period. Whether it be annexing parts of another nation, backing a dictator in a foreign war or poisoning dissidents on Russian soil, Putin’s Kremlin seemingly no longer seeks validation from a West that has allowed Moscow’s belligerence to grow with little effect on his behavior.
The world has been reminded of Russia’s confidence in recent weeks. As gas prices soar across Europe due to a reduced supply of Russian gas and Putin severs his nation’s loose diplomatic ties to NATO, it’s worth examining how gravely Western policymakers have misread Putin and ignored his willingness to use the weapons at his disposal.
The question from the Russian perspective is, why should we? Moscow is still awaiting German regulatory approval for Nord Stream 2, a controversial pipeline that would connect Russia to Germany and supply large amounts of gas to Western Europe. “If the German regulator hands its clearance for supplies tomorrow, supplies of 17.5 billion cubic metres will start the day after tomorrow,” Putin told a televised forum on Thursday, blaming the recent gas crisis and high prices on the EU’s energy policy.
