Disillusionment and Hope: A Brief Reminiscence about Perceptions of the Russian-American Relationship in the Second Term of Putin’s Presidency

Abstract

Historians of the future may wonder how much ordinary Russian citizens in the early 21^st century actually knew about the Russian-American relationship or if they could reach a conclusion independently. We will bypass such discussions although we could note that a plain person would have had to select from a rich, messy mixture of media reports and ‘lucid’ explanations to find out how the relationship had progressed or regressed. The person could feel that some of his conclusions were wrong, but, as we know, it takes decades to overturn popular views. The author of this chapter is in a similar situation. Our selections include both the ‘canonical episodes’ and the so-called ‘overlooked issues’ or in other words advances beyond the reach of plain individual hands and minds. Time is running fast, but by rolling the memory carpet back we attempt to disclose tendencies hidden behind the surface.