BERLIN – For far too long, the West has harbored illusions about Vladimir Putin’s Russia – illusions that have now been shattered on the Crimean peninsula. The West could (and should) have known better: Ever since his first term in office as Russian president, Putin’s strategic objective has been to rebuild Russia’s status as a global power.
柏林—长久以来，西方一直对普京的俄罗斯抱有幻想——如今，这一幻想在克里米亚半岛被一举击碎。西方本可以（也应该）更好地知道，自第一次任俄罗斯总统以来，普京的战略目标就一直是重塑俄罗斯全球霸权的地位。