You asked me - who am I, friend or foe? Relations between States are not built in quite the same way as they are between people. I'm not your friend, I'm not your bride or your groom. I am the President of the Russian Federation: 146 million people who have certain national interests. It is my job to protect those interests.
Which is indeed what I want from my government. Though of course even Biden would say something like that if so prompted. Does Putin actually live up to those words? I don't know: I'm American, not Russian. Though I'm certainly distrustful of "my" government and press who tells me he doesn't, and who promote his opponents who seem to go out of their way to be relatable and likeable to mainstream Westerners.
- Vladimir Putin, 2016
Which is indeed what I want from my government. Though of course even Biden would say something like that if so prompted. Does Putin actually live up to those words? I don't know: I'm American, not Russian. Though I'm certainly distrustful of "my" government and press who tells me he doesn't, and who promote his opponents who seem to go out of their way to be relatable and likeable to mainstream Westerners.
Compared to his predecessors, yes. ...Though that's not a high bar.
It is worth saying, though, that whatever his true agenda, he is atleast not actively destroying the culture of the people he rules.
In a century, Russians will still still know who they are.
Americans and Europeans are already unsure. In a century, we won't have a clue. We'll be completely deracinated.