---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that Vladimir Putin has decided…"
description: "\"I think that Vladimir Putin has decided, in a very strategic way, to turn the tables and do everything in his power to, as we've described Russian elec..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg"
---

#  I think that Vladimir Putin has decided, in a very…

![“I think that Vladimir Putin has decided, in a very strategic way, to turn the tables and do everything in his power to, as we've described Russian elections as illegitimate, to try and communicate to the rest of the world that Western elections are illegitimate. And it's not just us, we know that…” quote by Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg)

> “I think that Vladimir Putin has decided, in a very strategic way, to turn the tables and do everything in his power to, as we've described Russian elections as illegitimate, to try and communicate to the rest of the world that Western elections are illegitimate. And it's not just us, we know that now. It's Germany, it's France, it's a number of other countries.”

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Western leaders claim elections are illegitimate, mirroring Russia’s accusations, spreading doubt globally.

**In simple terms:** Western elections questioned like Russian ones.

Key Takeaway

Critically evaluate election integrity claims.

Themes

politics legitimacy propaganda

Mood

analytical cautious

Type

political critical

When to use this quote

- voter confidence
- international relations
- media analysis

Key Concepts

democracy information warfare

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence supports election legitimacy?
- How can societies protect democratic processes?

A Different Perspective

Skepticism can erode public trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [It's very clear that Vladimir Putin has decided that he will eliminate his opponents and anyone who stands up for democracy and freedom. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-s-very-clear-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided-that-he-will/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [I think that Vladimir Putin is certainly getting a lot of publicity for what the Russians are doing. And I'm not sure that's unwelcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-think-that-vladimir-putin-is-certainly-getting-a-lot-of-publicity/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [The minute Mr. Putin decided to put his military forces in Syria, I went to see him. And I said, "Look, here's what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/the-minute-mr-putin-decided-to-put-his-military-forces-in-syria-i/)

[Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/)

> [I have no relationship with Vladimir Putin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-no-relationship-with-vladimir-putin/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [ This is one where you can just kind of go to the tape on it. But Governor \[Mike\] Pence said inarguably Vladimir Putin is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/this-is-one-where-you-can-just-kind-of-go-to-the-tape-on-it-but/)

[Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/)

> [Hard men present hard choices - none more so than Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/hard-men-present-hard-choices-none-more-so-than-vladimir-putin-the/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [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.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-carter/i-think-it-s-part-of-vladimir-putin-s-nature-to-define-russian/)

[Ashton Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-carter/)

> [Barack Obama took over after Vladimir Putin's first aggression, in Georgia. In 2009, he did the reset policy because they had these stupid ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/barack-obama-took-over-after-vladimir-putin-s-first-aggression-in/)

[Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/)

> [Obviously, guys don't deal with the same level of criticism if they show off their bodies. Russian President Vladimir Putin literally staged a goofy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-kasparian/obviously-guys-don-t-deal-with-the-same-level-of-criticism-if-they/)

[Ana Kasparian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-kasparian/)

> [ By needlessly provoking him \[Vladimir Putin\] and humiliating him, we empower far worse possibilities in Russia. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/by-needlessly-provoking-him-vladimir-putin-and-humiliating-him-we/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [President Obama and Vladimir Putin are both in China attending the same economic summit. Obama saw Putin and said, 'After those midterms, it's nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/president-obama-and-vladimir-putin-are-both-in-china-attending-the/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [Vladimir Putin is a smart guy. I don't like him, smart guy. He is going to advance the cause of Russia until he hits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kinzinger/vladimir-putin-is-a-smart-guy-i-don-t-like-him-smart-guy-he-is-going/)

[Adam Kinzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kinzinger/)

> [You cannot compare any leaders in our country to what Vladimir Putin has done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/you-cannot-compare-any-leaders-in-our-country-to-what-vladimir-putin/)

[Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/)

> [Candidate Trump held out his hand to Vladimir Putin. He rejected further U.S. intervention in Syria other than to smash ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/candidate-trump-held-out-his-hand-to-vladimir-putin-he-rejected/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/)

Brian Reade

## More by Robert M. Gates

> [And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/and-so-the-greatest-of-american-triumphs-became-a-peculiarly-joyless/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [“Obama answered, “Yes. I’m no peacenik.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/obama-answered-yes-i-m-no-peacenik/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [“I was seething. I told him that “the clock is ticking” and that our patience with their lack of political progress was running out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-was-seething-i-told-him-that-the-clock-is-ticking-and-that-our/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [Some people have said, in so many words, that I'm kind of wooly-headed in believing that the Iranians would see not having nuclear weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/some-people-have-said-in-so-many-words-that-i-m-kind-of-wooly-headed/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [“Obama was the fourth president I had worked for who said outright that he wanted to eliminate all nuclear weapons (Carter, Reagan, and Bush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/obama-was-the-fourth-president-i-had-worked-for-who-said-outright/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [I had no concerns - I had no reason to have concerns based on what was available to me about North's contacts with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-had-no-concerns-i-had-no-reason-to-have-concerns-based-on-what-was/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [Health care costs are eating the Defense Department alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/health-care-costs-are-eating-the-defense-department-alive/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [“The passage of fourteen years had led to another significant change in the international environment. As I told Bush 43 and Condi Rice on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/the-passage-of-fourteen-years-had-led-to-another-significant-change/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [I've been very sensitive for a long time to the repeated pattern, during economic hard times or after a war, of the United States'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-ve-been-very-sensitive-for-a-long-time-to-the-repeated-pattern/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [I don't know General Michael Flynn well, but it's hard for me to believe anybody would allow themselves to be blackmailed by the Russians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-don-t-know-general-michael-flynn-well-but-it-s-hard-for-me-to/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [I had no difficulty as Secretary of Defense moving from the Bush administration to the Obama administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-had-no-difficulty-as-secretary-of-defense-moving-from-the-bush/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [The United States has been a global power since late in the 19th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/the-united-states-has-been-a-global-power-since-late-in-the-19th/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [My one concern is that Hu Jintao may overestimate how much power China has in Pyongyang. They have - they do have influence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/my-one-concern-is-that-hu-jintao-may-overestimate-how-much-power/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [“I thought you were my friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-thought-you-were-my-friend/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [“Soon after the raid was over, the White House released the now-famous photo of all of us watching the video in that small conference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/soon-after-the-raid-was-over-the-white-house-released-the-now-famous/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

[Explore all 143 Robert M. Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

## More Communicate quotes

> [Verbs allow you to communicate a story in a much more converged or involuntary way for a reader. The verbs allow you to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/verbs-allow-you-to-communicate-a-story-in-a-much-more-converged-or/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [I have learned so much from my dad. Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned from my dad is how to be prepared at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/i-have-learned-so-much-from-my-dad-perhaps-the-biggest-thing-i-ve/)

[Jay Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sekulow/)

> [Even people who can't communicate can fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaejoong/even-people-who-can-t-communicate-can-fall-in-love/)

[Jaejoong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaejoong/)

> [Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/our-communications-reflect-in-our-countenance-therefore-we-must-be/)

[L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/)

> [Always being on the move has strange consequences. I meet so many amazing people, for a night, or sometimes just a few days. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-claus/always-being-on-the-move-has-strange-consequences-i-meet-so-many/)

[Gaspar Claus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-claus/)

> [“Even without words, you communicate through touch, body language, and facial expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmel-sheridan/even-without-words-you-communicate-through-touch-body-language-and/)

[Carmel Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmel-sheridan/)

> [I could say that making clothes is my way of communicating, because I was always so shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-gaultier/i-could-say-that-making-clothes-is-my-way-of-communicating-because-i/)

[Jean Paul Gaultier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-gaultier/)

> [I think there's confusion around what the point of social networks is. A lot of different companies characterized as social networks have different goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/i-think-there-s-confusion-around-what-the-point-of-social-networks-is/)

[Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/)

> [Language just gradually came in, one or two stressed words a time. Before then, I would just scream. I couldn't talk. I couldn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/language-just-gradually-came-in-one-or-two-stressed-words-a-time/)

[Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/)

> [Had Elijah Muhammad tried to introduce an orthodox form of Arab-oriented Islam, I doubt if he would have attracted 500 people, but he introduced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/had-elijah-muhammad-tried-to-introduce-an-orthodox-form-of-arab/)

[John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/)

> [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/)

[Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/)

> [My wish for humanity is to invent a way to communicate between us and whatever comes next. And in the end that we the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/my-wish-for-humanity-is-to-invent-a-way-to-communicate-between-us-and/)

[Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/)

> [Having people around you that are honest with you, and having a team around you that can actually track and communicate where things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muneshine/having-people-around-you-that-are-honest-with-you-and-having-a-team/)

[Muneshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muneshine/)

> [The most important thing for a director is being able to communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/the-most-important-thing-for-a-director-is-being-able-to-communicate/)

[Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/)

> [Sourav's greatest asset is his ability to communicate. He is a naturally very confident person. He encourages his team, is a great motivator and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shastri/sourav-s-greatest-asset-is-his-ability-to-communicate-he-is-a/)

[Ravi Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shastri/)

Browse all 2,325 Communicate quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think that Vladimir Putin has decided, in a very strategic way, to turn the tables and do everything in his power to, as we've described Russian elections as illegitimate, to try and communicate to the rest of the world that Western elections are illegitimate. And it's not just us, we know that now. It's Germany, it's France, it's a number of other countries.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert M. Gates"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided-in-a-very-strategic-way-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Communicate"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided-in-a-very-strategic-way-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/robert-m-gates-2972_communicate_i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided_620635.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think that Vladimir Putin has decided, in a very strategic way, to turn the tables and do everything in…” — Robert M. Gates",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Robert M. Gates",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think that Vladimir Putin has...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided-in-a-very-strategic-way-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-think-that-vladimir-putin-has-decided-in-a-very-strategic-way-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
