When Vladimir Putin first became Russian prime minister two decades ago in 1999, few people had even heard of him. But the stern-faced former KGB officer soon triggered a love affair with the Russian population. Two decades on, after re-imposing authoritarian rule and a new confrontation with the West, he shows no sign of leaving. Ekaterina Egorova joins Greg to discuss his character traits and those of other authoritarian-minded rulers currently having their day.

Ekaterina Egorova is a founder and the president of the Niccolo-M Strategic Communications Agency, the leading Russian political consulting and public relations firm. She is also head of the Political Profiler, a political and psychological consulting firm based in Washington.