German quality daily Die Welt comments in an editorial on Vladimir Putin's behaviour at his latest press conference:
"Putin lives in his own world"
Many observers see Putin's appearance as a confirmation, that Angela Merkel was right, when she told US President Barack Obama, that Putin had lost contact with reality. Indeed, he seemed to be cocooned in his own world. And that was the really worrysome in the appearance of a man, who makes decisions about war and peace. He gave the impression of a politician, who has started to believe in his own lies.
Compare this with my take a couple of days ago ...
PS
Julia Ioffe's article in the New Republic is also worth reading:
Today's performance, though, put all that speculation to rest. Merkel was absolutely right: Putin has lost it. Unfortunately, it makes him that much harder to deal with.
There is a tradition of condemning autocrats as lunatics. But Putin is a rational actor trying to maximize his and his country's position.
ReplyDeleteIf there is anyone in a cocoon it is the leaders of the US and EU who cannot grasp simple geopolitics.
Unfortunately, many dictators and autocrats have been - and are - mentally unstable.
ReplyDeleteYour description of Putin's behaviour is nothing but ridiculous.