European countries understand that they cannot stop Russia quietly or diplomatically. Those that had been at war with Russia in the past know how to respond to Russia's most recent act of aggression.
Putin’s Russia is furious about recent developments regarding France and Germany.
Emanuel Macron's recent recommendation to send his troops to Ukraine exemplifies France's unique understanding of Russia's genuine intents and motivations, which it gained from its extensive historical experience with Russia.
The French president is the only global leader who has recommended ignoring Putin’s tough guy language, ceasing to appease Russia’s despotism and deviation, and ultimately being offensive with Russia.
Putin loves spooking the West, but an open confrontation with the West is his worst nightmare. He could win in Ukraine if he persuades the West that he is willing to cross all lines.
Maintaining fear in the West
Being feared by the West is significant to Putin because he has successfully intimidated the West. This enabled him to maintain his image of a world’s tough guy. However, it is all false.
Putin needs to instil fear in the Western alliance. That is one of the 2 secrets of Putin’s political longevity. The second secret is Putin’s domestic and global use of corruption.
However, France is not the only leading member of the European Union that has finally identified the most effective method of responding to Russia. Germany could probably become another one.
Putin would never cross the lines that could destroy the royal lifestyle he has been building for more than 2 decades
Recently leaked phone conversation recordings revealed that leading German officers discussed striking the Crimea bridge. This demonstrated to Russia that people in the European Union have started to develop more effective methods to properly and adequately respond to Russia’s aggressive behaviour.
Putin, under no circumstances, intends to do anything which could realistically lead to a global war.
He could do many evil things locally in Ukraine and commit mass murders. But only to spook the West with the possibility of facing a global war, which Putin definitely wants to avoid.
Putin would never cross the lines that could destroy the royal lifestyle he has been building for more than 2 decades.
Addressing the nation – another bluff
In fact, Putin’s recent annual address to the nation was actually about convincing the West that he was a fanatic and ready to fight until the end.
Putin was bluffing because, over the years, he had developed a firm conviction that world leaders were afraid of him because they did not know how to fight.
This week, as many times before, Putin spent a significant amount of time in his public speech communicating messages to his enemies, allies and the Russian population.
Those public incantations are the only reason and purpose of Putin’s various addresses to the nation and public appearances.
During a recent address to the nation, 2 principal Putin’s agendas were revealed. They demonstrated his foreign fears and forthcoming domestic pipeline.
First and foremost, Putin was trying to convince the world and emphasise that he was willing to burn all royal palaces and other luxurious assets belonging to him and the people around him in radioactive flames unless his demands on Ukraine were met.
Putin’s recent annual address to the nation was actually about convincing the West that he was a fanatic and ready to fight until the end
The second message regarded all those young Russian soldiers dying in Ukraine because of the failure of the original bizarre fantasy that Ukraine could easily be conquered and subverted by Moscow.
Putin pledged to the so-called SVO (Special Military Operation) veterans that after the victory, those Russian soldiers and mercenaries who had proven themselves worthy would become the next Russian elite and ruling class.
Everything in Putin’s Russia is about money and becoming wealthy because of one’s post and status in the government.
Putin was clearly trying to recruit those Russian soldiers, promising them that they would take part in corruption and embezzlement schemes.
It is no longer a secret that being a government official in Putin’s Russia is far more lucrative and profitable than being a lawyer, doctor or even a stock trader.
Being the new Russian elite is similar to being a member of the party of crooks and thieves Alexei Navalny had been talking about.
A twisted image of a determined bad guy
Today’s Russia is a criminal organisation with one principal agenda and purpose - to make bosses and operatives of that criminal organisation wealthy. Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of the late Alexei Navalny, was absolutely correct when she compared fighting Putin’s Russia with fighting the mafia.
Even though Putin is committed to the general Russian fascination with imperial greatness, which is shared by most, if not all, Russian nationalists, the primary goals of all of Putin's patriotic and nationalist sentiments are propaganda and motivation.
There is no true ideology nor national idea in Putin’s Russia but to become a corrupt public official
There is no true ideology nor national idea in Putin’s Russia but to become a corrupt public official, as the few million people around Putin and the United Russia political party.
If Putin is severely punished in Ukraine or even in Russia for invading Ukraine, he knows he could simply crawl back to Russian territory and resume business as usual.
Eastern and northern European countries, those closer to Russia, know Russia much better. Putin’s greatest fear is that Western European countries and the West will cease to consume his false apocalyptical sentiments.
That is why a firm response from France, and potentially from Germany, is a significant shift in the perception of Putin in the West, not just as a bad guy but as a determined bad guy ready to fight, even by using nuclear weapons.
However, Putin would never do anything that could deprive him of a comfortable life in Russia. All of Putin’s apocalyptical statements are false.
