Why would anyone like and support Vladimir Putin?
He basically made a miracle by bringing back a dead country. Now, people want more but figures talk more than propaganda. Is there anybody in major countries who has made the same growth in a similar time frame? Or should I ask: would you like your country GDP grow 10 times in 15 years? Would you like your country to pay off crippling debts instead of passing them to your kids? Would you like your personal income to grow 10 times, currency and inflation corrected?And before anyone starts to scream about oil prices increases, let me address that. It certainly helped, but somehow no other major oil exporter has risen even close to that. Why? Do you think that Norway or Saudis, who actually rely a lot more on oil in their incomes, have a different oil? Yes, things will be a bit corrected during current sanctions and economic crisis but ultimately everyone is many times better still in every respect than in 90s before Putin. Ultimately that is the secret of Putin’s 80% approval ratings.
Why did Russia not resist independence of former Soviet Republics?
First of all, Russia is Russia and it is not an empire since 1917. USSR, in fact, was an empire, but Russia was just a part of it.I am a Russian and the witness of it. I lived then and there. From my perspective we all were drunk from drinking Freedom in enormous quantity. After August 1991 when people stood up for tanks and won we felt love and sharing will always present, that every nation in decrepit empire deserves the destiny they chose for, that we will be always friends because we so interconnected. I went myself for several large demonstrations to support Lithuania they were first who want to leave, Georgia after a massacre Gorbachev/Shevardnadze ordered to suppress their demand for freedom. We were so united in starving for freedom that it was very natural to support everyone who wanted to leave. It felt very good, but it was very disorderly. Like animals who were raised in the cage we did not know what to do with our freedom. We did not have proper leaderships then and the rats from the old regime very quickly regrouped and took the power again. Gorbachev, despite his popularity in the West was not popular at all then, nobody would follow him. Yeltsin was not able to lead at all.I remember discussion in papers about Crimea, as this area was assigned to Ukraine. It was assumed that Russia and Ukraine are going to stay forever in close relationships because of the historical and cultural connections and that no need to complicate the process of separation.Shortly after it all happened I had a heated discussion with older friend from Denmark soon after fall of the USSR. He said that USSR should follow the China example and use the tight rains on freedoms, do not let republics fell off the tree like leaves. I was madly angry for such suggestion. How one who lived in free democratic society could suggest such nonsense for people who just want to leave whole GULAG behind. Well, he was right, I was very wrong. But that what we have to deal with. Shoulds and Woulds doe not work in reality.Thank you for a great question. Look for the historical documents, you will be surprised to see some details about Crimea for instance or Tadzhikistan borders defense or Airspace Program. They are all available.
How close is Turkey to joining the EU?
Turkey has had a long and conflicted relationship with the EU. Since the 1990s, a desire to join the EU has prompted many important reforms in the country. More recently, however, Turkey's Euro-enthusiasm has appeared to be wavering. This is partly because of the policies of the current Turkish government, and partly because of doubts by many EU country about allowing such a large neighbour to join.I see three main reasons why Turkey's membership appears doubtful, at least in the foreseeable future:If it joined, Turkey would be the only non-Christian member of the EU. This prospect does not appeal to many conservative forces in the EU.Turkey would be by far the largest EU member by surface area and second largest by population. This would mean that the EU countries which currently dominate the bloc, i.e. Germany and France, and to a lesser extent the UK and Italy, would have to deal with a major new member, whose size could not be ignored.While in the 1990s Turkey was a poor, fragile country, today it is a rapidly emerging regional power. For Turkey, joining the EU might in some ways limit its regional role and curtail any ambition it might have to be a dominant player in the Middle East.Addition: I have been asked to add something to this answer on how the EU and Turkey would benefit from Turkish membership of the EU. There would be many benefits. For both sides, it would extend the area of freedom of trade, travel, and occupation, increasing overall wealth for all, and improving the security of the whole Europe/Middle East region. Turkey would also be Europe' bridge to the Middle East and the Islamic world. It could provide a decisive impulse to the project of establishing a community of Mediterranean countries. France, Spain and Italy have intermittently sponsored the idea, which has however made very little progress so far. With Turkey in the picture, the idea might finally find wings. For Turkey, the deal would also provide it with access to the European market for goods and services, but also for business creation and jobs.