The article reflects on Vladimir Putin's 25 years as Russia's president, highlighting his unexpected rise to power and the subsequent transformation of Russia into a revanchist state. It examines his consolidation of power domestically and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The article features insights from various experts on Putin's motivations, his reshaping of Russia, and his place in Russian history. It discusses Putin's background and his KGB past as influential factors in shaping his actions.
The article includes analyses of Russia's war in Ukraine, interpreting it as reflecting Russia's internal weaknesses. A collection of expert opinions from 2020 predicts the potential future trajectory of Putin's rule.
The article connects Putin's actions to the legacy of Joseph Stalin and the broader arc of Russian history, exploring his use of a Soviet-style election to maintain power.
The article also touches upon the influence of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's writings on the current conflict in Ukraine.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for his first term on May 7, 2000, few analysts could have predicted that the 47-year-old democratically elected leader would one day seize control of the Russian state and remake Moscow into a revanchist power.
“[I]f you had asked me or basically anyone whether Vladimir Putin would become the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin, the response would have likely been either incredulous silence or uproarious laughter,” Susan B. Glasser, FP’s former editor in chief, wrote in 2020. “Putin’s main qualifications for the job … were that he was: young, articulate, and, literally, sober.”
When Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for his first term on May 7, 2000, few analysts could have predicted that the 47-year-old democratically elected leader would one day seize control of the Russian state and remake Moscow into a revanchist power.
“[I]f you had asked me or basically anyone whether Vladimir Putin would become the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin, the response would have likely been either incredulous silence or uproarious laughter,” Susan B. Glasser, FP’s former editor in chief, wrote in 2020. “Putin’s main qualifications for the job … were that he was: young, articulate, and, literally, sober.”
Twenty-five years on, as Putin continues to consolidate control at home and prolong the war in Ukraine, we wanted to reflect on his reign. Below, you’ll find some of our best essays on what drives Putin, how he transformed Russia, and where he fits into the arc of Russian history.
Putin (right) with his parents in 1985 just before his departure to East Germany as a KGB officer. Laski Diffusion/via Getty Images
Russia’s president has been shaped by decades of bitterness and revenge, William Taubman writes.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks prior the military parade of the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in WW II, on May 9, 2005 on the Red Square in Moscow. YURI KADOBNOV/AFP via Getty Images
The meaning of Russia’s war in Ukraine is its own national weakness, Paul Berman writes.
AFP via Getty Images
In 2020, 11 leading experts looked back at his reign and predicted what the future may bring.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn speaks at Harvard University on June 8, 1978, where he said that the most noticeable thing about the West is what he called “decline in courage.” Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Casey Michel tells the strange story of a global literary hero who went on to inspire Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Foreign Policy illustration/Getty Images
With a Soviet-style election, Putin’s Russia has come full circle, Adrian Karatnycky writes.
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