(Globe and Mail) He is the reigning bad boy of global affairs, a nemesis of American presidents and an antagonist who flouts international borders and diplomatic protocols.
So how did Vladimir Putin come to be the voice of calm in the storm?
In the furious debate over how to subdue a defiant Kim Jong-un, it has fallen to the strongman Russian leader to take up the cause of peace in a volatile region and rational thought in a time of discourse tainted with madness. Indeed, South Korean President Moon Jae-in even personally begged Mr. Putin this week to "tame" Seoul's northern neighbour. […]
"I am not sure at all that Russia's role in managing this crisis is meaningful. Putin is certainly trying to boost his profile, but it is – from what I can see – mostly appearances," added Pavel Baev, a research professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo who is an expert on Mr. Putin's military and economic strategy.
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