Russian diplomacy is no longer about co-operation but "putting Westerners in their place", say ex-Kremlin insiders.

Russia’s diplomats were once a key part of President Putin’s foreign policy strategy. But that has all changed.

In the years leading up to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, diplomats lost their authority, their role reduced to echoing the Kremlin’s aggressive rhetoric.

BBC Russian asks former diplomats, as well as ex-Kremlin and White House insiders, how Russian diplomacy broke down.

  • loathsome dongeater@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    01·
    1 year ago

    It might be hard to imagine now, but Mr Putin himself told the BBC back in 2000 that “Russia is ready to co-operate with Nato… right up to joining the alliance”.

    “I cannot imagine my country isolated from Europe,” he added.

    Back then, early in his presidency, Mr Putin was eager to build ties with the West, a former senior Kremlin official told the BBC.

    Gotta wonder how Russia never ended up being able to NATO despite this.