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'CRIMEA IS ABOUT THE SURVIVAL OF PUTIN'S SYSTEM'
Deutsche Welle, Germany
March 14 2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently flexing his muscles in
the Crimea crisis. But what are his long-term goals, and who could
still have the power to influence him?
There is only one explanation for Russian President Vladimir Putin's
behavior on the Crimean peninsula, according to Stefan Meister,
a Russia expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
"This is about the survival of Putin's system," he told DW. "For
him, foreign policy has become a central instrument for internal
legitimization."
Meister said Putin's strong stance is intended to increase the
president's dwindling popularity among the Russian population.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Putin has been Russia's dominant
political force. In 1999, Boris Yeltsin made him prime minister. When
Yeltsin himself resigned several months later, he made Putin president
of the Russian Federation. In March 2000, the Russian people confirmed
their support of Yeltsin's choice in a presidential election. Ever
since, Vladimir Putin has been at the helm of the huge country -
even when he did not officially hold the country's highest office.
Russia Expert Stefan Meister thinks that Putin is using foreign policy
to garner domestic support
In May 2012, Putin began his third term as president. From 2008 to
2012 he swapped roles with his close confidant Dmitry Medvedev and
was Russia's prime minister for one legislative period, since the
Russian constitution only allows two successive presidential terms.
Putin wants to show strength
"Putin is a politician who knows how to cleverly wield political
power," said Meister. "But if he is put under pressure, he sometimes
reacts in impulsive ways," he said, adding that for Putin, key is to
show strength.
This can also be seen in the image of himself he presents to the
public. He has shown a foible for portraying himself as a tough
outdoorsman, riding bare-chested through the endless Siberian steppe
and catching huge fish. It is a public image that large segments of
the Russian population approve of thoroughly.
Putin likes to present himself as one with Russian nature
Asked in a 2012 interview for German television what the source of
negative Western attitudes towards him could be, Putin responded:
"It mainly stems from a fear of Russia - of our scale, our nuclear
weapons, our potential in various other spheres. But that is an old
way of thinking."
Vision of a Eurasian Union
Russia too, is trying to find its geopolitical role. One important
strategy for that is the Eurasian Union. According to Putin's plans,
Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kazakhstan will be joining to form this
customs union in the near future. Later on, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
might become members. Ukraine, which Putin considered a particularly
important player due to its size and geographical position, was also
supposed to join. But with the upheaval that has taken place in Kyiv,
whether Ukraine looks towards the EU, Russia or some mix of the two
is impossible to predict.
"Ukraine is the most important country for Russia, for Putin to
fulfill his dream of Russia as a powerful state based on orthodox
values, values which are distinct from Western values," said Pavol
Demes, a Transatlantic Fellow at the Bratislava office of the German
Marshall Fund, a US think tank that aims to strengthen transatlantic
cooperation.
Putin and Germany
Pavol Demes thinks that Germany could be the key to negotiations
with Putin
Both Demes and Meister said Germany is the most important Western
partner for Putin. Since being stationed in East Germany as a Russian
KGB agent from 1985 to 1990, Putin has had special relationship to
Germany. He speaks fluent German and his second daughter was born in
Dresden in 1986.
After he took office as president in 2001, Putin gave a speech to
the German Bundestag in German. The move was unusual for a foreign
guest of the German state and it sent a clear message. In his speech,
Putin supported the eastward expansion of the EU and pleaded for
strong ties between Russia and Europe.
The idea has hardly come to fruition. The political unity of Germany,
France and Russia in opposition to the US-led "coalition of the
willing" that attacked Iraq in 2003 was short-lived, for example, even
as some EU members supported then-US President George W. Bush's war.
Merkel's role
Merkel speaks Russian, Putin speaks German - but they still can't
seem to come to an understanding
Russia is now largely isolated, when it comes to many aspects of
foreign policy. In Syria, Moscow supports Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad, Russia is supplying Iran with nuclear technology, and in
Ukraine, Moscow is at loggerheads with the EU and the US.
Some observers have called on Germany to play more influential role
in attempts to restart dialogue with Russia. "It hurts Putin to be
criticized in Germany or to be perceived in a negative way in Germany,"
said Meister. "That plays an important role for him."
That is also why Demes said he has a clear demand for the German
chancellor: "Germany, and Angela Merkel in particular, has an enormous
responsibility and chance to modulate this conflict situation, more
properly than anybody else."
Still, as Meister said, Germany's influence on Putin will only become
noticeable in incremental steps, and he said the country's leverage
is limited, "German politicians won't be able to stop him annexing
Crimea."
http://www.dw.de/crimea-is-about-the-survival-of-putins-system/a-17498124
Deutsche Welle, Germany
March 14 2014
Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently flexing his muscles in
the Crimea crisis. But what are his long-term goals, and who could
still have the power to influence him?
There is only one explanation for Russian President Vladimir Putin's
behavior on the Crimean peninsula, according to Stefan Meister,
a Russia expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
"This is about the survival of Putin's system," he told DW. "For
him, foreign policy has become a central instrument for internal
legitimization."
Meister said Putin's strong stance is intended to increase the
president's dwindling popularity among the Russian population.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Putin has been Russia's dominant
political force. In 1999, Boris Yeltsin made him prime minister. When
Yeltsin himself resigned several months later, he made Putin president
of the Russian Federation. In March 2000, the Russian people confirmed
their support of Yeltsin's choice in a presidential election. Ever
since, Vladimir Putin has been at the helm of the huge country -
even when he did not officially hold the country's highest office.
Russia Expert Stefan Meister thinks that Putin is using foreign policy
to garner domestic support
In May 2012, Putin began his third term as president. From 2008 to
2012 he swapped roles with his close confidant Dmitry Medvedev and
was Russia's prime minister for one legislative period, since the
Russian constitution only allows two successive presidential terms.
Putin wants to show strength
"Putin is a politician who knows how to cleverly wield political
power," said Meister. "But if he is put under pressure, he sometimes
reacts in impulsive ways," he said, adding that for Putin, key is to
show strength.
This can also be seen in the image of himself he presents to the
public. He has shown a foible for portraying himself as a tough
outdoorsman, riding bare-chested through the endless Siberian steppe
and catching huge fish. It is a public image that large segments of
the Russian population approve of thoroughly.
Putin likes to present himself as one with Russian nature
Asked in a 2012 interview for German television what the source of
negative Western attitudes towards him could be, Putin responded:
"It mainly stems from a fear of Russia - of our scale, our nuclear
weapons, our potential in various other spheres. But that is an old
way of thinking."
Vision of a Eurasian Union
Russia too, is trying to find its geopolitical role. One important
strategy for that is the Eurasian Union. According to Putin's plans,
Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kazakhstan will be joining to form this
customs union in the near future. Later on, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
might become members. Ukraine, which Putin considered a particularly
important player due to its size and geographical position, was also
supposed to join. But with the upheaval that has taken place in Kyiv,
whether Ukraine looks towards the EU, Russia or some mix of the two
is impossible to predict.
"Ukraine is the most important country for Russia, for Putin to
fulfill his dream of Russia as a powerful state based on orthodox
values, values which are distinct from Western values," said Pavol
Demes, a Transatlantic Fellow at the Bratislava office of the German
Marshall Fund, a US think tank that aims to strengthen transatlantic
cooperation.
Putin and Germany
Pavol Demes thinks that Germany could be the key to negotiations
with Putin
Both Demes and Meister said Germany is the most important Western
partner for Putin. Since being stationed in East Germany as a Russian
KGB agent from 1985 to 1990, Putin has had special relationship to
Germany. He speaks fluent German and his second daughter was born in
Dresden in 1986.
After he took office as president in 2001, Putin gave a speech to
the German Bundestag in German. The move was unusual for a foreign
guest of the German state and it sent a clear message. In his speech,
Putin supported the eastward expansion of the EU and pleaded for
strong ties between Russia and Europe.
The idea has hardly come to fruition. The political unity of Germany,
France and Russia in opposition to the US-led "coalition of the
willing" that attacked Iraq in 2003 was short-lived, for example, even
as some EU members supported then-US President George W. Bush's war.
Merkel's role
Merkel speaks Russian, Putin speaks German - but they still can't
seem to come to an understanding
Russia is now largely isolated, when it comes to many aspects of
foreign policy. In Syria, Moscow supports Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad, Russia is supplying Iran with nuclear technology, and in
Ukraine, Moscow is at loggerheads with the EU and the US.
Some observers have called on Germany to play more influential role
in attempts to restart dialogue with Russia. "It hurts Putin to be
criticized in Germany or to be perceived in a negative way in Germany,"
said Meister. "That plays an important role for him."
That is also why Demes said he has a clear demand for the German
chancellor: "Germany, and Angela Merkel in particular, has an enormous
responsibility and chance to modulate this conflict situation, more
properly than anybody else."
Still, as Meister said, Germany's influence on Putin will only become
noticeable in incremental steps, and he said the country's leverage
is limited, "German politicians won't be able to stop him annexing
Crimea."
http://www.dw.de/crimea-is-about-the-survival-of-putins-system/a-17498124