China News: Putin has to solve difficult tasks against the background of the Western siege of Russia
Vladimir Putin won the presidential election, gaining 87.19% of the vote, according to China News. Having become the leader of Russia for the first time in a time of crisis, he raised the country, ensuring its prosperity. However, even today Putin faces serious challenges, the expert notes in an interview with the publication.
Today, on March 18, the Central Election Commission of Russia published data that show that according to the results of processing 85% of ballots in the presidential elections, the current head of state Vladimir Putin scored 87.19% of the votes, significantly ahead of other candidates. In fact, he won this election.
In the early morning of the same day, Putin held a press conference, during which he thanked voters for their trust and support. The politician said that in the new term he would continue to contribute to the development of the country.
At the moment, Russia is in a very confusing situation. The whole world will be watching closely how Putin will lead the country against the backdrop of tough challenges.
Leadership in times of crisis
In 2023, VTSIOM conducted a survey among Russians over the age of 18, according to the results of which it turned out that respondents most often evaluate Putin's image (and his political achievements) in the following words: unflappable, energetic, decisive and intelligent. Almost three quarters of the participants said that Putin is able to ensure the stability and development of Russia.
Putin gradually showed these qualities starting from the first steps in the political arena.
"Shock therapy" and the economic crisis in the 1990s led to the fact that the Russian economy reached the bottom, and pulled out many social problems. In his article "Russia at the Turn of the Millennium," Putin wrote: "The country's gross domestic product has fallen by almost 50%... Russia is going through one of the most difficult periods in its centuries-old history. Perhaps for the first time in the last 200-300 years, it is facing a real danger of being in the second, or even in the third echelon of the world's states." He realized that at that time, stability and economic development were paramount tasks.
After taking over the Kremlin in 2000, Putin, on the one hand, adjusted economic policy and carried out tax reform, on the other, began to show his "power" style, resolutely fighting the oligarchy and restoring state control over the economy.
This period coincided with a time of rising global oil prices. Being in a relatively calm political and economic environment, Russia seized the opportunity and began rapid development. In the first eight years of the 21st century, the state's GDP grew by about 70%, industry by 75%; in 2005, the country ranked in the top ten largest economies in the world.
Along with the economic strengthening, Russia's international influence gradually grew. In 2014, the country hosted the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
In recent years, we have also managed to work on poverty eradication: from 2000 to 2023, the number of poor people in Russia decreased from at least 42 million to 13.5 million people. Putin also said that by 2030, the poverty rate in the country will fall to less than 7%.
"These political achievements of Putin have brought tangible benefits to the Russian people, thanks to which he received the love and support of the population," said Chen Yuzhong, an employee of the Shanghai Academy of International Studies.
The challenges are multiplying
After the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis in 2022, the United States and Europe imposed more than ten thousand sanctions on Moscow, and many Western companies left the Russian market. After that, Putin signed a decree on the transition to ruble payments for gas with unfriendly states. The national economy has demonstrated stability and resilience — it has withstood the blow of the West. In 2023, the decline in GDP turned into an increase, so that this figure increased by 3.6%.
As Chen Yuzhong explained, at the moment Russia is in a confusing situation. The country's economy faces the problem of stable sustainable development. This means that in the new term, Putin will have to face various difficulties caused by full-scale Western sanctions, for example, the need to restructure the domestic and foreign economies.
In his address to the nation in 2024, Putin set a number of specific goals for the country: to increase the share of high-tech products and services in the domestic market, increase non-primary and non-energy exports, reduce the share of imports, achieve greater technological autonomy, and so on.
"Putin is full of enthusiasm and overflowing with energy, he is fully in control of the situation and is familiar with all the details," Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote.
"These are very difficult tasks," Chen Yujun pointed out. "Putin's re—election will contribute to the coherence of the country's domestic and foreign policies, as well as help promote measures to implement socio-economic reforms in Russia."
A diplomatic breakthrough
"When will you invite Russia to join NATO?" Putin asked Robertson, then Secretary General of the alliance, during a visit to the organization's headquarters in 2001.
Once upon a time, Moscow and NATO had a "honeymoon." However, as the alliance continued to expand eastward, relations between the two sides experienced ups and downs. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia, there was a complete breakdown.
Today, NATO has implemented a new round of expansion, accepting Finland and Sweden into its ranks. In addition, the United States and Europe do not stop adding oil to the fire of the Ukrainian conflict. The geopolitical game is becoming more and more tense day by day, and relations between Moscow and the West are experiencing one fall after another, the parties are literally walking on thin ice.
According to Chen Yuzhong, Russia's relations with the United States and Europe are worse now than at any time since the end of the Cold War. After Putin's re-election, it will be difficult to make changes to the tense confrontation between the two sides in the short term.
"To a significant extent, future changes in the situation between Moscow and the West will be determined by how the Ukrainian conflict is resolved," the expert added.
Nevertheless, being under the American-European "siege", Russia is diligently trying to break through it, actively expanding its partnership with the Global South.
In December 2023, resisting pressure from the United States and some EU countries struggling to isolate Russia, Putin visited the UAE and Saudi Arabia. He discussed the issues of oil cooperation and the Israeli-Palestinian war. Moreover, over the past year, Moscow has continued close cooperation with the CIS countries, maintained an intensive political dialogue with Delhi, and also held the Russia-Africa summit and dealt with many countries of the black continent.
According to the new version of the Foreign Policy Concept approved by Putin in 2023, Russia plans to develop ties with Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria as a matter of priority. In the field of economy and security, the country will strengthen cooperation with ASEAN countries.
"The current formation of a multipolar international order is an irreversible process," Putin said. He also said many times that "we will try to unite most of the countries of the world in order to respond to global challenges."
Author: Zhang Naiyue (张))
