CARL BILDT

Vladimir Putin has shattered an already weak and contradictory post-Soviet identity.

When the United Kingdom walked out of the European Union two years ago, Brexit supporters believed that British pragmatism and common sense would not only see them through but would allow their country to flourish as it stood alone.

A top aide to Russian President Boris Yeltsin who helped prepare and signed the 1991 pact that led to the formal breakup of the Soviet Union has died.

A change in public opinion in steadfastly neutral Finland and Sweden has taken place since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Through the Cold War and the decades since, nothing could persuade Finns and Swedes that they would be better off joining NATO — until now.

It would be "insane" for Russia to invade Ukraine, but that scenario is "not impossible," said Carl Bildt, a former prime minister of Sweden.

She stayed up all night, watching and worrying at her home in Delhi as the chaos unfolded many time zones away. Both have to play their role with decency and responsibility so that democracy itself remains the winner,” Merkel said. Iran, which faces routine U.S. criticism over violations of human rights and democratic values, jumped on the chaos as proof of American hypocrisy. Ally after ally expressed shock, followed by affirmations that U.S. democratic institutions would withstand the turmoil. “American democracy is obviously limping on both feet,” said Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia’s upper house of parliament.

Maybe for the first time in decades we should begin worrying about what others are saying about us. Kinsman, a veteran Canadian diplomat, speaks of continental drift and Americas evacuation of world leadership. Swedish former Prime Minister Carl Bildt says theres not been even a hint of an aspiration of American leadership in the global fight against the novel coronavirus. AdvertisementFor three-quarters of a century the United States has been a world leader in finance, science, education, popular culture, military capacity and, often but not always, moral power. At the same time, however, there are theorists at home who are skeptical of the entire notion of American decline. The coronavirus crisis has laid that bare, and the world awaits Americas response.