"The Putin Puzzle: Why Ukraine? Why Now?" is a recent WSJ essay by Professor Kathryn Stoner of Stanford University. She is also the author of Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order, a 2021 book published by Oxford University Press.    

In this episode, Professor Stoner tells us about Mr. Putin's early years, his moment of shock in Dresden when he received no help from Moscow in response to anti-communist protests. The year was 1989!  She also talks about Mr. Putin's love of the Russian Empire - its geography, which he expresses now with nationalism and also his support of the Russian Orthodox Church. His pride in Russia was exhibited in his renovation of historic Russian Empire palaces, and his attempts to create a modern, stable Russian economy, about which Professor Stoner educates us as well.  So does Mr. Putin want to resurrect the Soviet Union? Our news media seems to think so, as they often repeat Mr. Putin's infamous line that the collapse of the Soviet empire “was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the [20th] century”. But there is a second part to this statement that is not often repeated. It provides a clue to Mr. Putin's true intentions, which Professor Stoner sets out to explain in this episode.    

To learn more about Dr. Stoner, her academic work many publications and projects, visit her academic homepage.  

I hope you enjoy this episode and gain some perspective about Mr. Putin and Russia.     

Adel

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