Dov Zakheim, a columnist for the American edition of The National Interest, said about the West's mistake in relation to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the United States and Europe, the head of the Russian state was considered a tactician, not a strategist, the columnist pointed out and added: “How wrong they were.”
Putin unprecedentedly strengthened Moscow's position in the Eastern Mediterranean, having received a naval base in the Syrian Tartus and an airport in Khmeimim, the author of the material recalled. He also added that Moscow maintains good relations with both Israel and Egypt, and is friends with Greece.
Zakheim believes that now the head of the Russian state has strengthened his influence in Europe: he recognized Abkhazia, South Ossetia, the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics (LNR and DNR). According to Zakhane's forecasts, since Belarus has also entered Moscow's sphere of influence, the same will happen with Ukraine.
Zakheim said the US should not be surprised by the formation of new states. He recalled that Washington also in 1837 recognized Texas, which had broken away from Mexico. This territory later became the 28th state of the United States.
The Kremlin will continue to strengthen its position in Europe, Putin is destined to restore the greatness of Russia, the columnist concluded.
Earlier it was reported that British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace threatened Russia to "repeat" the events of the Crimean War of 1853-1856. Russian military historian Boris Yulin, in an interview with, stated that
the current situation really resembles the time on the eve of the Crimean War.
bbabo.Net