Kathrine Frich
Despite appearances, analysts say Putin has no master plan.
Despite appearances, analysts say Putin has no master plan.
Washington No Longer Buys the Putin Myth
After decades of portraying himself as a global chess master, Vladimir Putin has been downgraded by Washington insiders.
U.S. experts now describe the Russian president not as a strategic genius, but as a reactive “player”. a man clinging to power, not directing grand visions.
Trump’s Historic Pivot to Moscow
In a dramatic break from 80 years of U.S. foreign policy, President Donald Trump has reversed course: allies out, Moscow in.
His administration is now courting Russia, trying to broker a peace deal that would force Ukraine to surrender territory and abandon NATO aspirations.
The Deal Ukraine Dreads
Trump’s proposed peace plan is exactly what Moscow has wanted for decades.
It would cut off Ukraine from Western alliances and hand over parts of its sovereign territory, a move critics call nothing short of capitulation to Putin’s demands.
Putin’s Empire of Improvisation
Despite appearances, analysts say Putin has no master plan. His foreign policy is driven by short-term disruptions, not long-term strategy.
Behind the mask of a geopolitical mastermind lies a leader scrambling to maintain power through fear, propaganda, and chaos.
The Shadow of Soviet Tactics
Putin’s methods echo Cold War-era KGB playbooks.
From disinformation to blackmail, his approach relies less on global partnerships and more on exploiting Western disunity, much like his Soviet predecessors.
But the modern world is proving harder to manipulate.
Crimea and the Crackdown
The annexation of Crimea in 2014 wasn’t just about territory, it was about sending a message.
After Ukraine’s EuroMaidan revolution, Putin interpreted pro-Western sentiment as a threat. The response? War, annexation, and renewed hybrid warfare tactics.
Putin’s House of Cards
As Putin rewrites Russia’s constitution and reshuffles power between president and prime minister roles, his grip looks strong on the surface.
But observers warn it’s a regime held together by repression and fear, where loyalty is fragile, and dissent lurks beneath.
The West Strikes Back
Putin’s gamble has backfired. Far from collapsing under pressure, Western Europe is rearming, uniting, and expanding NATO.
Finland and Sweden have joined the alliance, and defense budgets across the continent are rising.
The End of an Illusion
The belief that Putin could divide or intimidate the West is collapsing.
His once-feared propaganda machine is faltering, and his influence is shrinking in the face of Europe’s democratic resilience and U.S. military strength, even under Trump’s controversial leadership.