Is Vladimir Putin mounting a charm offensive, a military offensive or both? Last month, Russia’s president greeted U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with conspicuous warmth at a newly built palace in Sochi for their first meeting since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis. They talked about eastern Ukraine’s future not as a piece of Russia, nor as a Kremlin-backed breakaway republic, but under the rule of Kiev. Summoning his friendliest smile, the Russian president proclaimed at his annual spring press conference that his country “has no enemies.” And as if on cue, the Russian-backed leaders of Ukraine’s breakaway regions …read more
Source: Newsweek
