Thank you for the insights. Perhaps you know more than me. I agree that Russian polls are meaningless. I also agree that what Americans are hoping, that Putin gets disposed and is replaced with an enlightened, modern leader, who is at least less hostile toward the West, is a long shot at best. With Xi clamping down on China it does feel as if the 21st century will be another battle between east and west. Maybe the best we can get is a cold war, and not a hot one like Ukraine, which just destroys everything and everyone.

Meanwhile, the US seems hellbent on destroying itself from within. We are still under siege by a large group of nationalist, racist, oligarchs ourselves. They have made Congress totally dysfunctional and have taken over the Supreme Court. We are not in great shape to combat the authoritarians.