Essential Quote by George Packer

I think it's part of Vladimir Putin's nature to define Russian success in foreign policy as thwarting the United States. That's in his nature.…

— Ashton Carter

Putin wants nothing less than to return Russia to the center of global politics by challenging the primacy that the United States has enjoyed…

— Ivo Daalder

It is positive that the United States and the European Union show a great deal of unity. Putin did not expect that. He thought…

— Arseniy Yatsenyuk

Putin needs strong moves to keep the country as one. There is some criticism that he is centralizing power, but in Russia, if you…

— Anatoly Karpov

Putin has the ability to advance his interests in many different ways. Sometimes tactical diplomacy can help.

— Fiona Hill

This is a very important relationship we have with Russia, the relationship over the nuclear arsenal that they have obviously is important. They're a…

— Warren Christopher

Putin wants to restore the Russian empire. That's his ambition; he's stated it many times.

— John McCain

Putin wants to reestablish Russian greatness, not as the Cold War, but in 19th century empire terms.

— William J. Clinton

Russia is an important power upon which the U.S.A. imposed a Cold War.

— Marine Le Pen

It is absolutely important that we have a unified alliance and that we explain to the Russians that you cannot be a 21st-century superpower,…

— Barack Obama

Putin doesn't need Donbass (east Ukraine). He wants to determine the fate of the world at talks with a U.S. President, putin is dreaming…

— Mikhail Khodorkovsky

You don't have to be a brilliant historian to know that in Europe, messing with countries' borders, messing with their self-determination, their ability to…

— David Cameron