After years of rapprochement, the relationship between Russia and the West is more strained now than it has been in the past 25 years. Putin-s motives, his reasons for seeking confrontation with the West, remain for many a mystery. Not for Mikhail Gorbachev. In this new work, Russia-s elder statesman draws on his wealth of knowledge and experience to reveal the development of Putin-s regime and the intentions behind it. He argues that Putin has significantly diminished the achievements of perestroika and is part of an over-centralized system that presents a precarious future for Russia. Faced with this, Gorbachev advocates a radical reform of politics and a new fostering of pluralism and social democracy.
Gorbachev-s insightful analysis moves beyond internal politics to address wider problems in the region,
