This time next year, the United States and probably France, two of the world’s great democracies, might be led by admirers of Russian president Vladimir Putin. These countries will follow Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and most recently, Bulgaria and Moldova: Eastern European nations that have elected leaders advocating closer ties to Moscow, a mere quarter-century after breaking free of Soviet domination. In the remaining liberal strongholds of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the leading opposition movements all favour lifting sanctions. What is fuelling this apparent wave of Russophilia across much of the world?Three main factors have created the conditions …read more
Source: The National
