The New Europe
Putin at Valdai: An articulation of RussiaŐs Worldview in the 21st Century
Speech given at Valdai Discussion Club, ŇWorld Order: New Rules or a Game without
RulesÓ
Full panel presentation, including former French PM Dominique de Villepin and former (extreme right) Austrian Chancellor Schussler
with translation, available here
Mikhail Gorbachev called it PutinŐs best and most significant speech.
What are the major themes of the speech? What does the speech reveal about PutinŐs ideology, worldview?
Conservative
Stability, avoid change at all costs
Change=destabilization
Post-Cold War Era
US unilateralism, self-proclaimed victor of the Cold War
Led to chauvinism, folly, treating world as its playground
Making a mess of the Middle East, S Asia in the process
Do you agree?
What does PutinŐs argument leave out from an American perseptive?
The speech really riled American conservatives. See, for example, Washington Times commentary by Ari Cohen.