A man steps on a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Moscow protest over the Russian government's decision to increase the retirement age. July 29, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
John Lloyd, Reuters: Picturing a post-Putin Russia
It’s not the week to say it, but Donald Trump has a point. It isn’t original and what it proposes will be hard to do, yet when he says that “getting along with Russia is a good thing,” as he did before his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki last month, he isn’t wrong.
Russia isn’t a country whose enmity to the West should be shrugged off. Rather than copy its aggressive attitudes, democratic countries should remain vigilant and tough on its egregious moves on Ukraine and its intimidation of the NATO members in the Baltic states. But they should also try harder to promote cultural links, open debates with Russians of all opinions, promote educational exchanges and give platforms to Russian commentators, intellectuals and politicians.
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WNU Editor: I see the biggest desire for change among the young (those who are younger than 35). They are not hostile towards the West, and in fact see their future with Europe. And while the young may not be in power today, in 20 years (or less) they will be, and that IMHO is when a new renaissance within Russia will take place. But for now .... Russia is Putin, hostile relations with the West, an economy that should be growing more than what it is today, and being involved in numerous conflicts around the globe.
