Does Putin envy the United States?

For all his stronk-talk he is surely well aware of the fact that the United States is leaps and bounds more powerful than Russia in every conceivable way.

Does he envy the notion of having an economy based on more than just exporting oil and black arms? What about possessing the most powerful military in human history with hundreds of bases across the planet? Does this make him jealous?

Probably...he's a realpolitik person, I thought.

I don’t know if he’s envious for sure, but it would be idiotic if he didn’t desire some of th things the US posses.

I don't know Putin, so I can't comment with one-hundred percent accuracy on his goals, but based on his own statements, he simply wants Russia to exist and not be in a world where it doesn't.

He also probably thinks that Western nations are culturally degenerate and filled with limp wristed soy-boys and 300lb lard-chugging feminists. Compared to the masculine archetypical male and probably the highest frequency of hot girls anywhere in the world in Russia. I bet you he wouldn't trade all the economic and military might of the States if it meant swapping their populations too.

^ I'm not pretending the United States is culturally perfect, but it's difficult to make the case that the highly corrupt Russian drunkocracy is the best comparative role model

He probably likes the idea of running a country with the resources and financial influence of the US.

He'd have to be pretty stupid to not covet our power and influence. And since Putin is literally behind every single bad thing that ever happened...surely he isn't stupid.

Bu-but I thought Putin was running the US through Trump like a puppet?

Originally posted by The Ellimist
^ I'm not pretending the United States is culturally perfect, but it's difficult to make the case that the highly corrupt Russian drunkocracy is the best comparative role model

That's not really a bad thing for Putin though. The ones who are hurt by corruption are the people, not the ones in power.