Like Trump, Putin is now trapped in a dangerous situation of his own making.

As the Ukrainian presidential elections loom ever closer, Mykola Vorobiov (left) reports that,

"Expectations are high that Russia will attempt to interfere in the upcoming Ukrainian presidential elections, scheduled for March 31.
...
Having failed, since 2014, to force Kyiv back into its orbit using purely military means, the Kremlin has been gearing up a broad spectrum of instruments—including cyberattacks, disinformation, courting of pro-Russian politicians and their supporters, inflaming of religious tensions, as well as threats of further military escalation—in order to put pressure on Ukraine via its democratic process. (Jamestown : 11 March, 2019) (my emphasis)

And as Putin ramps up his attack on Ukraine's democratic process, Rikard Jozwiak reports that,

"The United States, together with the European Union and Canada, imposed new sanctions on March 15 on more than a dozen Russian officials and businesses in response to the country's "continued aggression in Ukraine." (RFERL : 15 March, 2019) (my emphasis)

Added to which,

"NATO has again confirmed future membership for Ukraine in the Alliance, noting strengthened political and practical support for Kyiv since illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and events in Donbas.

This message was delivered in the annual report by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (left), which was released on Thursday at NATO headquarters in Brussels." (KyivPost : 14 March,2019) (my emphasis)

Perhaps of even more significance,

"Denmark’s foreign minister [Anders Samuelsen (right)] said Wednesday his country hasn’t yet decided whether to allow a joint German-Russian gas pipeline [Nord Stream 2] to pass through its territorial waters, but suggested Moscow’s continued aggression in Ukraine was making it less likely to be approved." (Associated Press : 6 March, 2019) (my emphasis)


So whilst Putinversteher Merkel is trying to strong-arm the EU into accepting Nord Stream 2, little Denmark is not willing to succumb to her strong-arm tactics.

Adding to Putin's woes, Roman Goncharenko writes that,

"Today, a sense of disappointment and frustration pervades the country [Russia]. And the Kremlin has not yet found a way of boosting approval ratings.
...
There is no more public debate over whether Crimea truly belongs to Ukraine or Russia. Even though back in 2014 most Russians did not really question the annexation of the peninsula, either. Konstantin Gaase says that now, "even the Russian opposition has stopped talking about Crimea." (DW : 15 March, 2019) (my emphasis)

As more and more frustrations are piled up on Putin, the real danger that this poses is that he will lash out against Ukraine.

Recall that in 2014, Angela Merkel herself stated that she was,

" .... bewildered by the man in charge of one of the world’s largest countries. After speaking with Mr Putin, she said she was not sure he was in touch with reality." (Daniel Piotrwoski (right): News AU: 5 March, 2014)

Merkel's tune about Putin's state-of-mind has somewhat changed since then, now that the German-Russian Nord stream 2 pipeline promises to make Germany the gas-hub of Europe.

                                                            Merkel and Putin                       Putin and Schröder

(Former German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, currently serves as a board member of several consortia, including the Nord Stream 2 consortium, in which Russian-government-controlled energy company Gazprom is either the majority or sole shareholder.)

As the thorn of Ukraine digs deeper into the wilting Russian economy of Putin, will Putin's 'itchy' finger press the button that will unleash his armed forces bordering Ukraine's border, and those now in Ukraine's Crimea, against Ukraine?

Recall that in 2014, "While lounging in a chair like a world-weary aristrocrat, [Putin] insisted Russia was seeking to de-escalate tensions [with Ukraine]. But his speech came as Russian troops fired warning shots at Ukrainian soldiers and Russia fired a nuclear capable missile." (ibid Daniel Piotrwoski)

As Roman Goncharenko writes,

"Today (2019), a sense of disappointment and frustration pervades the country [Russia]. And the Kremlin has not yet found a way of boosting approval ratings."

Like Trump, Putin is now trapped in a dangerous situation of his own making.

(to be continued)