When Putin first became president and Khodorkovsky met him, Khodorkovsky perceived him as a young, liberal-minded, energetic bureaucrat who would propel Russia's economy forward—a misreading of Putin's true intentions.
factualpending
Speaker
Mikhail KhodorkovskyEvidence Quote
“but I wouldn't ridicule uh Bush for that because when I met Putin for the first time he also appeared to me a young liberal-minded energetic bureaucrat who was going unlike Yeltsin to propel our country forward and its economy forward”
Source
How The West Can Stop Putin, with Exiled Critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky | Intelligence Squared— Intelligence SquaredCreated: 8/10/2026, 10:56:34 PM
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