Joe Biden is the fifth American president to deal with Vladimir Putin. His predecessors, in their own different ways, tried to placate a strongman who never hid his desire to solidify authoritarian control at home while furthering his ambitions on the world stage. George W. Bush tried to get a “sense of [Putin’s] soul.” Barack Obama engaged in a “reset.” And Donald Trump maneuvered to bring Putin back into the Group of Eight (among other things).
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Vladimir Kara-Murza: Here’s how Biden can get Russia right
A t-shirt with an image of President Vladimir Putin is seen on sale among other items at a souvenir shop in Saint Petersburg on Jan. 29, 2020.
