Russia expert Jan Balliauw (65), retired but not retired: “Putin is much smarter and more sophisticated than Trump”

He has been officially retired since the beginning of this year, but VRT journalist Jan Balliauw (65) does not let the news go. Even when he traveled through Australia and New Zealand with his wife and a couple of friends for a month, he studied the mating dance between Trump and Putin from a distance. In the meantime, he gives lectures, shares his insights on social media and is working on a new book. "I am far from winding down."

The greatest danger for the Kremlin leader is a mechanism that he himself has established, says Russia expert Nikolai Petrov.

This is what he expressed in Ether Espresso.” Dmitriev is the head of a direct investment fund, married to a friend of Putin's daughter. He has been in this system for a long time, said to be very close to the foreign intelligence service. I think so it is. Most likely, Dmitriev is somehow connected with them not only in business. He is Putin's wallet, his subordinate, the consul, he is not a politician. For example, Putin and Trump will openly …