Much controversy exists inside and outside Russia over President Vladmir Putin’s policies. His attempt at strengthening the central authority can not be blamed as personal usurpation of dictatorial power because it satisfies the needs for political stability and economic progress. That explains its support from the Russian people in general. Instead, political power building should be further deepened in the country. In fact, Russia’s economic recovery awaits straightening out the central local relationship. President Putin is actually exploring a model for speeding up economic expansion by giving full play to freedom in the economic arena, while retaining state macro control at the indispensable minimum. He will most probably not copy mechanically the free market economy model, thus steering clear of the same old disastrous course taken by his predecessor. His relationship with the political opposition, the Communist Party in particular, consists of struggling, cooperation and utilization with possible expansion of shared views. This will find its manifestation in the selection of a development path geared to Russia’s national conditions through mutual restraints. The young Russian top leader elevates his multi dimensional foreign policy to the theoretical level of seeking equilibrium, a matter determined by Russia’s state interests in the new transition period, albeit with emphasis in its implementation. Western media accusations of President Putin in pulling Russia back to the former Soviet Union fly in the face of realities. The Russian President Putin is trying to integrate the three major ideological trends of liberalism, socialism and nationalism in his country. This has invited Western resentment.
