How Putin Wins by Doing Nothing
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual news conference in Moscow on Dec. 23, 2021.
Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/BloombergThe U.S. and Europe told Vladimir Putin he has a choice to make on deescalating tensions over Ukraine if he wants progress on Russia’s demands for security guarantees. It’s not clear he sees it that way.
The apparent indecision is paying dividends for the Russian president so far. After almost a week of intense diplomacy that concludes today in Vienna, Putin is keeping Washington and its European allies guessing over his intentions in massing some 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border.