Zócalo Public Square

From annexing Crimea to dropping bombs in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin has led his country down a path for the past two years that worries many Americans. Given his aggressive tactics and long history of iron-fist control, why is Putin still in power? And should the West fear Russia—or fear for Russia? At MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, Wall Street Journal International Security Reporter Julian E. Barnes moderated a Zócalo discussion with “Morning Edition” host David Greene, encouraging Greene—a former Moscow correspondent, and author of Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey Into the Heart of Russia—to shed some light on what makes Russia tick, and how we should approach the nation.