[Aaus-list] FT.com: Battle for Ukraine: How the west lost Putin

Max Pyziur pyz at brama.com
Tue Feb 3 12:30:35 EST 2015


FT.com: Battle for Ukraine: How the west lost Putin
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e3ace220-a252-11e4-9630-00144feab7de.html

' ...

Vladimir Putin is the master destabiliser. A black belt in judo, he is an 
expert at keeping opponents off-balance. He alternates between the 
friendly gesture and the menacing glance. Throughout the crisis in 
Ukraine, the most serious threat to security in Europe since the end of 
the cold war, Mr Putin has succeeded in wrongfooting western leaders. They 
know he wants to restore Russia’s influence and keep Ukraine within his 
orbit, but are at a loss to divine how he intends to achieve his aims.

Ms Merkel had asked her closest advisers to stay outside during the 
Brisbane meeting, on November 15 last year. “She wanted to be 
alone . . . to test whether she could get Putin to be more open about what 
he really wants,” says someone briefed on the conversation. “But he 
wouldn’t say what his strategy is, because he doesn’t know.”


...'

fyi,

MP
pyz at brama.com


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