Vladimir Putin will look back on 2016 as an annus mirabilis. Isolated and straining under the impact of western sanctions 12 months ago, the president has managed to transform Russia’s international fortunes thanks to an extraordinary run of good luck. Brexit, the migration crisis and the current surge of right-wing populism have enfeebled Europe and weakened its resolve to maintain a tough collective stance towards Russia. Putin’s military intervention in support of Bashar al-Assad has put his ally within sight of victory in the Syrian civil war. Best of all, Donald Trump is about to enter the White House on a promise to repair US-Russia relations on the Kremlin’s terms. On every front, the tide of events appears to be flowing strongly in Putin’s direction.
弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)将会把2016年视为奇迹迭出的一年。得益于一轮不寻常的好运气，在12个月前尚由于西方制裁的影响而陷于孤立、面临巨大压力的俄罗斯总统，成功实现了该国国际运势的转向。英国退欧、难民危机以及右翼民粹主义异军突起，令欧洲孱弱无力，削弱了欧洲维持共同的对俄强硬立场的决心。普京为支持巴沙尔•阿萨德(Bashar al-Assad)而进行的军事干预，让他的这位盟友在叙利亚内战中胜利在望。最棒的是，唐纳德•特朗普(Donald Trump)将带着修复美俄关系的承诺入主白宫，还将按照克里姆林宫的条件这么做。在各个方面，时势的潮流似乎都朝着有利于普京的一边滚滚涌来。