“It was galvanizing enough that there was an agreement … to fleshing out the consequences for Russia if it went ahead with the aggression,” Blinken said. Putin apparently thought Biden wouldn’t be able to deliver. He called him in December and then in January to talk about the Russian threat, Blinken said. By May, the two were visiting the White House together, celebrating their countries’ plans to join NATO. The Russian leader made a catastrophic mistake in overvaluing his own strength and underestimating the resolve of Biden and his team.

Source: Washington Post May 27, 2022 14:51 UTC