Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

=== United States, Western Europe, and NATO ===
{{See also|Anti-American sentiment in Russia|Russia–NATO relations|Russia–United States relations}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin with Pope John Paul II-1.jpg|thumb|Putin with Pope [[John Paul II]] and Holy See's secretary of state [[Angelo Sodano]] on 5 June 2000]]
[[File:Vladimir Putin 28 May 2002-13.jpg|thumb|Putin with Italian prime minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]] and U.S. president [[George W. Bush]] at the [[Russia–NATO relations#NATO–Russia Council (2002–2022)|NATO-Russia Council]] meeting in Rome on 28 May 2002<ref>{{cite news|title = Russia and NATO greet arrival of a warm front |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/29/russia.ianblack |work =[[The Guardian]] |date = 29 May 2002|last=Black|first=Ian}}</ref>]]

Under Putin, Russia's relationships with NATO and the U.S. have passed through several stages. When he first became president, relations were cautious, but after the [[September 11 attacks|9/11 attacks]] Putin quickly supported the U.S. in the [[War on Terror]] and the opportunity for partnership appeared.<ref name=Bi-Partisan>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-f-cohen/us-russia-policy_b_1307727.html America's Failed (Bi-Partisan) Russia Policy] by [[Stephen F. Cohen]], ''HuffPost''</ref> According to [[Stephen F. Cohen]], the U.S. "repaid by further expansion of [[NATO]] to Russia's borders and by unilateral withdrawal from the 1972 [[Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty]]",<ref name=Bi-Partisan /> but others pointed out the applications from [[Enlargement of NATO|new countries willing to join NATO]] was driven primarily by Russian's behavior in [[First Chechen War|Chechnya]], [[Transnistria War|Transnistria]], [[War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)|Abkhazia]], [[1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt|Yanayev putsch]] as well as calls to restore USSR in its previous borders by prominent Russian politicians.<ref>{{cite news|date = 14 January 1995 |title = Europe: Chechnya Summons Uneasy Memories in Former East Bloc : Ex-Soviet satellites look warily on the Russian offensive. Their fears create a new urgency for membership in NATO. |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-14-mn-20008-story.html |access-date = 12 April 2021 |website = Los Angeles Times |language = en-US|last=Murphy|first=Dean}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date=26 May 2020|title=Irony Amid the Menace {{!}} CEPA|url=https://cepa.org/irony-amid-the-menace/|access-date=12 April 2021|language=en-US}}</ref>

From 2003, when Russia strongly opposed the U.S. when it waged the [[Iraq War]], Putin became ever more distant from the West, and relations steadily deteriorated. According to Russia scholar [[Stephen F. Cohen]], the narrative of the mainstream U.S. media, following that of the [[White House]], became anti-Putin.<ref name=Bi-Partisan /> In an interview with [[Michael Stürmer]], Putin said there were three questions which most concerned Russia and Eastern Europe: namely, the status of Kosovo, the [[Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe]] and American plans to build missile defence sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, and suggested that all three were linked.<ref name="Sturmer">{{cite book |last=Stuermer |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Stürmer |title=Putin and the Rise of Russia |year=2008 |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |location=London |isbn=978-0-297-85510-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E6UsAQAAIAAJ |access-date=11 June 2012 |pages=55, 57 & 192}}</ref> His view was that concessions by the West on one of the questions might be met with concessions from Russia on another.<ref name=Sturmer />

{{Quote box|width = 28em|quote = One single center of power. One single center of force. One single center of decision making. This is the world of one master, one sovereign. ... Primarily the United States has overstepped its national borders, and in every area.|source = — Putin criticizing the United States in his [[Munich speech of Vladimir Putin|Munich Speech]], 2007<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|author = Thom Shanker |author2 = Mark Landler |title = Putin Says U.S. Is Undermining Global Stability |newspaper = The New York Times |date = 11 February 2007 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/world/europe/11munich.html |url-access = subscription }}</ref>}}
In a January 2007 interview, Putin said Russia was in favor of a democratic [[Polarity in international relations|multipolar]] world and strengthening the systems of [[international law]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/01/18/0726_type82916_117121.shtml |title = Interview for Indian Television Channel Doordarshan and Press Trust of India News Agency |publisher = Kremlin.ru |date = 18 January 2007 |access-date = 22 June 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080504052123/http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/01/18/0726_type82916_117121.shtml |archive-date = 4 May 2008 }}</ref> In February 2007, Putin criticized what he called the United States' monopolistic dominance in global relations, and "almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations". He said the result of it is that "no one feels safe! Because no one can feel that [[international law]] is like a stone wall that will protect them. Of course such a policy stimulates an arms race."<ref name="Munich">{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/02/10/0138_type82912type82914type82917type84779_118123.shtml |title = Speech and the Following Discussion at the Munich Conference on Security Policy (43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy) |date = 10 February 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120309232547/https://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/02/10/0138_type82912type82914type82917type84779_118123.shtml |archive-date = 9 March 2012 }}</ref> This came to be known as the [[Munich speech of Vladimir Putin|Munich Speech]], and NATO secretary [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]] called the speech "disappointing and not helpful".<ref name="BBC">{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Putin's speech: Back to cold war? |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6350847.stm |publisher = BBC |first = Rob |last = Watson |date = 10 February 2007 }}</ref>

[[File:Vladimir Putin & Donald Trump in Helsinki, 16 July 2018 (2).jpg|thumb|Putin with U.S. president [[Donald Trump]] at the [[2018 Russia–United States summit|summit meeting]] in Helsinki, Finland, 16 July 2018]]
The months following Putin's Munich Speech<ref name=Munich /> were marked by tension and a surge in rhetoric on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Russian and American officials, however, denied the idea of a [[new Cold War]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1123 |title = Munich Conference on Security Policy, As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, 11 February 2007 |publisher = Defenselink.mil |access-date = 21 December 2013 }}</ref> Putin publicly opposed plans for the [[National missile defense|U.S. missile shield]] in Europe and presented President [[George W. Bush]] with a counterproposal on 7 June 2007 which was declined.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/06/08/2251_type82914type82915_133552.shtml |title = Press Conference following the end of the G8 Summit |publisher = Kremlin.ru |date = 8 June 2007 |access-date = 22 June 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080504052143/http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/06/08/2251_type82914type82915_133552.shtml |archive-date = 4 May 2008 }}</ref> Russia suspended its participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty on 11 December 2007.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Russia walks away from CFE arms treaty |url = http://fijilive.com/news/2007/12/russia-walks-away-from-cfe-arms-treaty/348.Fijilive |website = fijilive.com |access-date = 31 July 2015 |date = 12 December 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090119/http://fijilive.com/news/2007/12/russia-walks-away-from-cfe-arms-treaty/348.Fijilive |archive-date = 22 December 2015 }}</ref>

Putin opposed Kosovo's unilateral [[2008 Kosovo declaration of independence|declaration of independence]] from Serbia on 17 February 2008, warning that it would destabilize the whole system of international relations.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/14/content_7604675.htm |title = Putin: supports for Kosovo unilateral independence 'immoral, illegal' |agency = Xinhua News Agency |date = 14 February 2008 |access-date = 25 February 2008 }}</ref> He described the [[International recognition of Kosovo|recognition of Kosovo's independence]] by several major world powers as "a terrible precedent, which will de facto blow apart the whole system of international relations, developed not over decades, but over centuries", and that "they have not thought through the results of what they are doing. At the end of the day it is a two-ended stick and the second end will come back and hit them in the face".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/putin-calls-kosovo-independence-terrible-precedent/2008/02/23/1203467431503.html |title = Putin calls Kosovo independence 'terrible precedent' |date = 23 February 2008 |work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]] }}</ref> In March 2014, Putin used Kosovo's declaration of independence as a justification for recognizing [[Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea|the independence of Crimea]], citing the so-called "[[Kosovo independence precedent]]".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/20603 |title = Address by President of the Russian Federation |website = en.kremlin.ru |date = 18 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/03/24/crimea-kosovo-and-false-moral-equivalency/ |title = Why the Kosovo 'precedent' does not justify Russia's annexation of Crimea |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] }}</ref>

After the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. in 2001, Putin had good relations with American president [[George W. Bush]], and many western European leaders. His "cooler" and "more business-like" relationship with German chancellor, [[Angela Merkel]] is often attributed to Merkel's upbringing in the former [[East Germany|DDR]], where Putin was stationed as a KGB agent.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Simpson |first = Emma |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4618860.stm |title = Merkel cools Berlin Moscow ties |work =[[BBC News]] |date = 16 January 2006 |access-date = 22 June 2013 }}</ref> He had a very friendly and warm relationship with Prime Minister of Italy [[Silvio Berlusconi]];<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Silvio Berlusconi and Vladimir Putin: the odd couple |url = https://www.ft.com/content/2d2a9afe-6829-11e5-97d0-1456a776a4f5 |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/2d2a9afe-6829-11e5-97d0-1456a776a4f5 |archive-date = 10 December 2022 |url-access = subscription |newspaper = Financial Times |date = 2 October 2015 }}</ref> the two leaders often described their relationship as a close friendship, continuing to organize bilateral meetings even after Berlusconi's [[Resignation of Silvio Berlusconi|resignation]] in November 2011.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Independent|last=Buchanan|first=Rose|url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/old-friends-putin-and-berlusconi-enjoy-reunion-in-milan-9802327.html |title = Putin pays late-night visit to 'old friend' Berlusconi |date = 17 October 2014 }}</ref> When Berlusconi [[Death and state funeral of Silvio Berlusconi|died]] in 2023, Putin described him as an "extraordinary man" and a "true friend".<ref>[https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/06/il-cordoglio-dellambasciata-russa-per-la-morte-di-berlusconi-putin-condiglianze-f84b6039-8671-484b-b697-d196fc8078f5.html Putin: "Berlusconi una persona cara, un vero amico"]. Rai News</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title=Russia's Putin calls Berlusconi a dear, wise friend and statesman |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-putin-pays-tribute-berlusconi-dear-wise-friend-2023-06-12/ |website=Reuters |access-date=12 June 2023 |language=en |date=12 June 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin (2018-05-18) 01.jpg|thumb|Putin held a meeting in [[Sochi]] with German chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] to discuss [[Nord Stream 2]] natural gas pipeline in May 2018.]]
The NATO-led [[2011 military intervention in Libya|military intervention in Libya]] in 2011 prompted a widespread wave of criticism from several world leaders, including Putin, who said that the [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973]] is "defective and flawed", adding: "It allows everything. It resembles medieval calls for crusades".<ref>"[http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/article979191.ece/West-in-mediaeval-crusade-on-Gaddafi--Putin West in "medieval crusade" on Gaddafi: Putin] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323111540/http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/article979191.ece/West-in-mediaeval-crusade-on-Gaddafi--Putin |date=23 March 2011}}." ''[[The Times (South Africa)|The Times]]'' ([[Reuters]]). 21 March 2011.</ref>

In late 2013, Russian-American relations deteriorated further when the United States canceled a summit for the first time since 1960 after Putin gave asylum to American [[Edward Snowden]], who had leaked massive amounts of classified information from the NSA.<ref name=Shuster>Shuster, Simon. "[http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2151148,00.html The World According to Putin]," ''Time'' 16 September 2013, pp. 30–35.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url = http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e3ace220-a252-11e4-9630-00144feab7de.html |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e3ace220-a252-11e4-9630-00144feab7de.html |archive-date = 10 December 2022 |url-access = subscription |title = Battle for Ukraine: How the west lost Putin |website = Financial Times |date = 2 February 2015 |access-date = 25 November 2015 }}</ref> In 2014, Russia was suspended from the [[G8]] group as a result of its [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexation of Crimea]].<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/24/politics/obama-europe-trip/ U.S., other powers kick Russia out of G8], CNN</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-temporarily-kicked-out-of-g8-club-of-rich-countries-2014-3 |title = Russia Temporarily Kicked Out of G8 Club of Rich Countries |website = Business Insider |date = 18 June 2013 |access-date = 25 March 2014 }}</ref> Putin gave a speech highly critical of the United States, accusing them of destabilizing world order and trying to "reshape the world" to its own benefit.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last1 = Demirjian |first1 = Karoun |last2 = Birnbaum |first2 = Michael |date = 24 October 2014 |title = Russia's president excoriates the United States for world's problems |language = en-US |newspaper = The Washington Post |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russias-putin-blames-us-for-destabilizing-world-order/2014/10/24/1c2e684f-6c00-41a0-8458-03533d644657_story.html |access-date = 4 March 2022 |issn = 0190-8286 }}</ref> In June 2015, Putin said that Russia has no intention of attacking NATO.<ref>"[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/insane-person-fear-russian-aggresion-putin-article-1.2249511 Russian President Vladimir Putin says 'only an insane person' would fear Russian attack on NATO]". ''[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]''. 7 June 2015.</ref>

On 9 November 2016, Putin congratulated [[Donald Trump]] on becoming the 45th president of the United States.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-09/putin-congratulates-trump-on-victory-hopeful-ties-will-improve |title = Putin Congratulates Trump on Victory and Hopeful of Better Ties |date = 9 November 2016 |access-date = 18 May 2017 |publisher = Bloomberg L.P. }}</ref> In December 2016, US intelligence officials (headed by [[James Clapper]]) quoted by [[CBS News]] stated that Putin approved the [[2016 United States election interference by Russia|email hacking and cyber attacks during the U.S. election]], against the Democratic presidential nominee [[Hillary Clinton]]. A spokesman for Putin denied the reports.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-election-hack-vladimir-putin-personally-involved-us-intelligence-officials-say/ |title = Vladimir Putin likely gave go-ahead for U.S. cyberattack, intelligence officials say |date = 15 December 2016 |publisher = CBS News |access-date = 18 May 2017 }}</ref> Putin has repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton, who served as U.S. secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 of interfering in [[Politics of Russia|Russia's internal affairs]],<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Englund |first = Will |title = The roots of the hostility between Putin and Clinton |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/the-roots-of-the-hostility-between-putin-and-clinton/2016/07/28/85ca74ca-5402-11e6-b652-315ae5d4d4dd_story.html |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] |date = 28 July 2016 }}</ref> and in December 2016, Clinton accused Putin of having a personal grudge against her.<ref>[http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/the-top-four-reasons-vladimir-putin-might-have-a-grudge-against-hillary-clinton "The top four reasons Vladimir Putin might have a grudge against Hillary Clinton"]. ''[[National Post]]''. 16 December 2016.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/clinton-putin-226153|title=Why Putin hates Hillary|work=[[Politico]]|first1=Michael|last1=Crowley|first2=Julia|last2=Ioffe|date=26 July 2016|access-date=5 August 2023}}</ref>

With the election of Trump, Putin's favorability in the U.S. increased. A Gallup poll in February 2017 revealed a positive view of Putin among 22% of Americans, the highest since 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Putin's Image Rises in US, Mostly Among Republicans |url = http://www.gallup.com/poll/204191/putin-image-rises-mostly-among-republicans.aspx |agency = Gallup |date = 21 February 2017 }}</ref> Putin has stated that U.S.–Russian relations, already at the lowest level since the end of the [[Cold War]],<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = US-Russia relations fail to improve in Trump's first year and they are likely to get worse |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-first-year-inauguration-anniversary-russia-vladimir-putin-relations-moscow-a8168801.html |work = The Independent |date = 19 January 2018 }}</ref> have continued to deteriorate after Trump took office in January 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Vladimir Putin says US-Russia relations are worse since Donald Trump took office |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-us-russia-relations-worse-military-syria-chemical-attack-barack-obama-a7679796.html |work = The Independent |date = 12 April 2017 }}</ref>

On 18 June 2020, ''[[The National Interest]]'' published a nine-thousand-word essay by Putin, titled "The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Putin |first = Vladimir |title = The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II |url = https://nationalinterest.org/feature/vladimir-putin-real-lessons-75th-anniversary-world-war-ii-162982 |work = The National Interest |date = 18 June 2020 }}</ref> In the essay, Putin criticizes the Western historical view of the [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]] as the start of [[World War II]], stating that the [[Munich Agreement]] was the beginning.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Middelaar |first = Luuk van |title = Poetin is politicus, en dus historicus |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2020/06/26/poetin-is-politicus-en-dus-historicus-a4004120 |work = NRC Handelsblad |date = 26 June 2020 }}</ref>

On 21 February 2023, Putin suspended Russia's participation in the [[New START]] [[Nuclear disarmament|nuclear arms reduction]] treaty with the United States.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title=Putin pulls back from last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the US |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/21/europe/putin-russia-new-start-nuclear-pact-intl/index.html |work=[[CNN]] |date=21 February 2023}}</ref> On 25 March, President Putin announced the stationing of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Russia would maintain control of the weapons. President Putin told Russian TV: "There is nothing unusual here either. Firstly, the United States has been doing this for decades. They have long deployed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allied countries".<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65077687 Putin: Russia to station nuclear weapons in Belarus] BBC (25 March 2023)</ref>