What Putin Got Wrong About Ukraine, Russia, and the West

Russia's Historical Patterns of Behavior and Its Misconceptions of the West

Russia's historical patterns of behavior are characterized by ambitions that exceed its capabilities, leading to recurrent episodes of aggression. The perceived cultural trait of Russian imperialism and the West's challenges are often cited as reasons for this behavior. However, historian Stephen Cotkin argues that Russia's sense of providential power and unique mission, coupled with a gap between its ambitions and capabilities, drives its perpetual struggle to establish a strong state, resulting in personalist rule and strategic miscalculations.