Examining Putin: his logic, mistakes, and hope for Ukraine

Examining Putin: his logic, mistakes, and hope for Ukraine

Not much has gone right for Vladimir Putin since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. Ian Bremmer speaks to political scientist and author Ivan Krastev, who believes Putin has the autocrat's curse: his back is against the wall because he can't be perceived as weak. Krastev unpacks many of Putin's problems, including his expectations about the "special operation" and how badly he misread Ukrainians. Why did Putin miscalculate so deeply? Krastev offers three explanations: Putin never accepted that the Soviet Union collapsed because communism did; he thought the West was in such decline that he'd get away with the invasion; and a sense that time is running out, because the 70-year-old Putin wants to fix all of Russia's problems in his lifetime. But how does the Russian leader feel about the war so far? Krastev believes he's definitely not happy with what's going on, but views himself as fighting a longer and more consequential battle with the West. Krastev, who is known for his recent book, "After Europe," also talks about Putin's fears about Russia's future and its shrinking demographics, noting that no one in Russia is even allowed to discuss "life after Putin."

Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(426)

Clerical Errors

Clerical Errors

The Catholic Church is facing tremendous internal upheaval and Pope Francis is at the center of it. Our guest is a Jesuit priest who recently had a private audience with the Pontiff, and who has court...

11 Nov 201926min

Bonus: From Our Friends at CAFE Insider

Bonus: From Our Friends at CAFE Insider

Today, we've got something a bit different for you. My friend and GZERO World guest Preet Bharara, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, hosts a podcast called CAFÉ Insider along...

7 Nov 201916min

A Long Blood-Stained Land

A Long Blood-Stained Land

When President Trump decided to officially withdraw American troops from Kurdish-controlled Syria, many people, including some in his own administration, were shocked. But the Kurds, themselves? Today...

4 Nov 201928min

The Rise of Germany’s Far Right

The Rise of Germany’s Far Right

Seventy-five years after the end of World War II, right-wing extremism is again on the rise in Germany. Ian Bremmer sits down with the country's former Defense Minister, Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg, to...

28 Okt 201920min

Stuck in the Middle with Ukraine

Stuck in the Middle with Ukraine

As the U.S. media focuses on details of President Trump’s dealings with the newly elected President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, GZERO World with Ian Bremmer is taking a deep dive into the former So...

21 Okt 201930min

Showdown in South America

Showdown in South America

Colombian President Iván Duque will not be intimidated. Not by armed rebels within his own country or an antagonistic Venezuelan regime to his east. But in today's interview Ian Bremmer asks: At what ...

7 Okt 201919min

Trudeau Up Against the Ropes

Trudeau Up Against the Ropes

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in the fight of his political life and things just got even messier. In an interview with Ian Bremmer he makes his case for why Canadians should look past rec...

30 Sep 201924min

The Problem with Pragmatism

The Problem with Pragmatism

Montana's governor is running for president, but most people don't know that. Despite being popular in his home state — one that Trump won handily in 2016 — Governor Steve Bullock is struggling to gai...

24 Sep 201921min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
popradet
stopp-verden
fotballpodden-2
dine-penger-pengeradet
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
i-retten
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
e24-podden
rss-ness
aftenbla-bla
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
grasoner-den-nye-kalde-krigen