The Threat From Russia: Can Putin Be Stopped?
b'Is Vladimir Putin the most powerful \\u2013 and dangerous \\u2013 man in the world? With Putin in the Kremlin, we have returned to an era where former Russian spies are mysteriously poisoned on British soil and where Russia feels emboldened to roll its tanks into an eastern European state. The Kremlin uses deadly force to wipe out opponents and stifle dissent at home, while overseas it props up Bashar al-Assad, the butcher of Damascus, who slaughters civilians with barrel bombs and chemical weapons. And that\\u2019s not to mention Moscow\\u2019s alleged meddling in the US election, which may have played a decisive role in the rise of Donald Trump. Tensions have increased so much in recent months that the UN secretary general Ant\\xf3nio Guterres has warned of a \\u2018full-blown military escalation\\u2019 between Russia and the West.\\n\\n\\nSo what should we do? Some argue that the West has been appeasing Russia for too long, and that it\\u2019s finally time to get tough. Putin\\u2019s crimes in Syria and Ukraine \\u2013 and allegedly on the streets of Salisbury \\u2013 can\\u2019t be allowed to go unchecked, so we need to start ramping up the military pressure. Others claim, however, that the West is culpable for the new Cold War. After all, it was NATO\\u2019s decision to expand eastwards and take in former Soviet states that kick-started this new era of conflict. So should we instead show some humility and try to rebuild trust and fresh channels of communication with Russia?\\n\\n\\nAnd what about the billions of pounds of dirty Russian money being laundered through the London property market and financial system? Much of Putin\\u2019s power stems from Russia\\u2019s kleptocratic economy, where his cronies control vast swathes of the nation\\u2019s wealth and hoard it overseas. By allowing the oligarchs to stash their cash in the City, are we not bolstering Putin\\u2019s grip on power? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared.\\n \\n\\xa0See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices'