Putin's classic modus operandi has been to identify the gap between the West sort of

narcissistic inflated self-perception of itself and its strength and its unity and its confidence.

And what it's actually willing to do.

And he finds that gap and he exploits it,

which allows him both to push the West back and himself look good.

And he's been able to run this play over and over without us learning anything. In these conversations we've talked a lot about tensions on the Russia-Ukraine

border but what we haven't talked about is whether Vladimir Putin is actually trying to

reassemble the former Soviet Union. Whether the US and NATO are

prepared to arrest his march, I'm doubtful, and whether Putin has successfully driven a wedge between the United States and

Europe to the point that Europe as a force in geopolitics is over.

What are the stakes for us? Well to help us think it through, Walter

Russell Mee joins us. Walter is the Global View columnist for the Wall Street

Journal. His column appears weekly in the journal. I highly recommend making it part of your regular media diet.

The great thing about Walter is the historical sweep he calls back on in his analysis,

so he's a perfect fit for this podcast.

Walter is also at the Hudson Institute he teaches at Bard College and at the

Council on Foreign Relations he was the Henry A Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. foreign policy.

He has authored numerous books including one of my favorites called Special Providence

American Foreign Policy and how it changed the world. Is Russia heading back to the

USSR? This is call me back. And I am pleased to welcome my friend Walter Russell Mead of the Wall Street Journal to the conversation.

Walter, thanks for joining.

It's great to be here today.

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