{"id":1275586,"date":"2025-08-04T09:51:56","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T06:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/the-story-of-the-six-month-trump-putin-relationship-the-path-of-a-dictator-in-miniature\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T08:47:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T05:47:46","slug":"the-story-of-the-six-month-trump-putin-relationship-the-path-of-a-dictator-in-miniature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/the-story-of-the-six-month-trump-putin-relationship-the-path-of-a-dictator-in-miniature\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Months of Bromance: Putin\u2019s Apprentice and the Miniature Dictator’s Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: Author’s Facebook<\/a> page<\/em><\/p>\n

Vladimir Putin could have become the most fortunate ruler in modern Russian history \u2014 and perhaps of the entire first quarter of the 21st century. By a twist of fate, and without any particular merit, he inherited control over a country rich in natural resources, with a sizable and relatively youthful population in 1999, and a vast sphere of untapped soft power in its geopolitical orbit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In addition, Putin inherited an economy that had already undergone substantial market reforms. In this regard, Russia was significantly ahead of Ukraine and other neighboring countries in terms of de-Sovietization.<\/p>\n

The conditions were exceptionally favorable: a stable upward trend in resource prices, open access to European markets, the rapidly growing Chinese market, and exclusive access to the markets of neighboring states. Following the shift in U.S. foreign policy after the September 11, 2001, attacks, Russia acquired a unique position \u2014 a partner of the United States, while simultaneously maintaining strong influence in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Central Europe.<\/p>\n\t\t