Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ???????? ???????????? ?????, {{Audio|ru-Putin.ogg|pronunciation}}, Pútin; born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and the current President of the Russian Federation. He succeeded Boris Yeltsin on December 31, 1999.

Foreign policy

While President Putin is criticized as an autocrat by some of his Western counterparts, his relationships with US President George W. Bush, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, French President Jacques Chirac, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi are apparently friendly.

Related Topics:
Autocrat - George W. Bush - Gerhard Schröder - Jacques Chirac - Silvio Berlusconi

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During his time in office, Putin has attempted to strengthen relations with other members of the CIS. The "near abroad" zone of traditional Russian influence has again become a foreign policy priority under Putin, as the EU and NATO have grown to encompass much of Central Europe and, more recently, the Baltic states. While tacitly accepting the enlargement of NATO into the Baltic states, Putin attempted to increase Russia's influence over Belarus and Ukraine.

Related Topics:
CIS - EU - NATO - Central Europe - Baltic states - Belarus - Ukraine

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Putin surprised many Russian nationalists and even his own defense minister when, in the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States, he agreed to the establishment of coalition military bases in Central Asia before and during the US-led attack on the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Russian nationalists objected to the establishment of any US military presence on the territory of the former Soviet Union, and had expected Putin to keep the US out of the Central Asian republics, or at the very least extract a commitment from Washington to withdraw from these bases as soon as the immediate military purpose had passed.

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During the Iraq crisis of 2003, Putin opposed Washington's move to invade Iraq without the benefit of a United Nations Security Council resolution explicitly authorizing the use of military force. After the official end of the war was announced, American president George W. Bush asked the United Nations to lift sanctions on Iraq. Putin supported lifting of the sanctions in due course, arguing that the UN commission first be given a chance to complete its work on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Related Topics:
Iraq crisis of 2003 - Iraq - United Nations Security Council - George W. Bush - UN

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During the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, Putin visited Ukraine twice before the election to show his support for Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and congratulated him on his alleged victory before official election results. Putin's direct support for Yanukovych was criticized by some commentators as unwarranted interference in the affairs of post-Soviet Ukraine.

Related Topics:
2004 Ukrainian presidential election - Viktor Yanukovych

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