Putin: The ‘Sick Man Of Europe’

Is Russia or Putin the Sick Man of Europe?: The “Sick man of Europe” is a term that was first coined by Emperor Nicholas I of Russia to describe the Ottoman Empire in the mid-19th century as it faced a significant decline. Since then the term has been given to a nation that is located within the European continent and is experiencing a time of economic difficulty or impoverishment. Likewise, it has been used to describe a power that is well past its zenith.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia certainly fit the bill as being quite unwell, it not outright sick. That sentiment has been often repeated in the past two decades, and the Russian Federation has arguably had a long and lingering illness – and its unprovoked and unwarranted invasion of Ukraine is likely to help it recover.

But perhaps it isn’t actually Russia that is now terminally ill, but rather its leader, Vladimir Putin, and it could explain his seemingly chaotic actions.