In the context of nations and governments, Putin/ Russia's approach to global order (multipolarity) is healthier than a single global hegemon (be it USA, Russia, China or any other single power). It seems evident to me that Russians, courtesy the collapse of the USSR and surely other historical events, have a far keener awareness of that which constitutes actual national security and a "conservative" global order. Here's one quote from the article linked below: "The confrontation in Syria cannot be solved by ‘international coalitions’ formed other than by the UN Security Council. Russia and the US are the co-chairs of the International Syrian Support Group. And unlike the various coalitions, this group does not aim at overthrowing Assad: its documents specify that the future of the country will be decided by the Syrian people. As it should be. This means that the world has already been redesigned, becoming a much safer place to live in " --- http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/where-did-putin-lead-his-country/ri130... Where Has Putin Lead his Country? I'll Tell You Where On this, the second anniversary of the Crimean referendum to rejoin Russia, the author answers a Ukrainian questioner