Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has a black belt in judo, which, as he likes to say, has taught him an important life lesson—flexibility.
Indeed, no tenet has further influenced Russia’s political doctrine, especially on the international stage.
Despite a 30-year alliance, Russia did not intervene after Azerbaijan took back Nagorno-Karabakh – a region Armenia had earlier seized with Russian help. After 32 years of somewhat friendly relations, Russia also abruptly became hostile toward Israel. And after more than 20 years of tepid ties, Russia bolstered relations with Saudi Arabia.
Putin these days easily pivots according to his interests. Armenia has been reorienting itself to the West. Taking an anti-Israel stance over Gaza helped ingratiate Moscow …