The author writes that while Russian President Vladimir Putin’s address to the Russian parliament was clearly meant to intimidate Washington, it was also "a plea for attention." The Russian leader sees himself as "avenging his nation’s humiliation after the collapse of the Soviet Union" and his desire to restore lost Russian glory has been public since his first presidency began in 2000. Putin's argument is that then, Russia was weak and ignored and now, Russia is being taken seriously only because it seems to present a threat. The author points out that the lack of U.S.-Russian dialogue on foreign policy issues is a mistake, "especially now." While there is dialogue on "deconfliction" in the Middle East, it ought to be broader, he argues. While the new weapons Putin announced do not pose much actual threat to the U.S., Washington needs to employ diplomacy "to open better channels." 

Read the full article at The Washington Post. 

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