Years of Western appeasement and Putin’s own imperialistic worldview made conflict inevitable
As months of tension over Russia’s force buildup around Ukraine peaked, Vladimir Putin sat in a soaring, pillared chamber in the government complex. Cameras rolled, and stone-faced ministers and military men watched from the hall’s periphery, as a sharp-suited figure made his way to a lectern.
The man was Sergey Naryshkin, head of the SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service, and he was nervous.
His brief was simple — to rubber-stamp Russia’s recognition of the provinces that had broken away from Ukraine. But the spy chief was ill at ease, stumbling over his words.
“I will support the proposal to recognize…” he said, glancing nervously at the Russian leader for approval.
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