Brezhnev and Putin
Journal: Diplomatic History
Year: 2018

Vladimir Putin’s announcement to run for another term makes him the most durable leader in Russia’s recent history. Some think of Putin as “the new Brezhnev,” who might die in office many years from now. But is it fair to compare Putin to Leonid Brezhnev? Can the Soviet past provide any lessons for Russia’s present and future? What should the United States expect of Putin? The comparison between Brezhnev and Putin reveals more differences than similarities. Brezhnev, who stayed in power for eigh