With the exception of Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t have many friends or associates left in the West. Whereas some leaders in Europe were willing to give him an opportunity to make his case for better relations, Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine has significantly limited Moscow’s freedom of action. Bridges with the West have essentially burned down. Even the European Union, previously content with gobbling up Russian oil and natural gas, is moving away from Russia in the energy sphere; according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency, EU imports of Rus…
