Europe, like the USA, has elections and peaceful transitions of power. Nations in Europe and in the USA swing back and forth as the outcome of the elections happen. For nearly twenty years now and probably for the rest of his life, one man has controlled Russia. He's both taken advantage of Europe's lack of military preparedness while claiming at the same time to be taking these measures because Europe and NATO are a grave threat. He's a huge threat to Belarus, the Baltic nations, and Poland. He continues to wage a vicious but undeclared war on the neighboring Christian nation of Ukraine while his propaganda organs proclaim that nation a NAZI nation. He's taken through force alone a large part of that country and caused over 1.7 million of its people to become displaced.
Putin must not fool us, like previous Communist leaders and he has done so far. FDR thought he could charm Uncle Joe. George W. Bush looked in Putin's eyes and didn't see an ex-KGB Colonel, loyal servant of the evil empire, and thug. Bush saw a man we could do business with. Obama and Hillary thought he could reset with Russia, and they removed every US tank from Europe. Trump thinks Russia is someone he can do business with, too. He admires him for his leadership skills and his alleged love of country. But Putin unwaveringly pursues Putin's interests. His interests are as follows. 1) Stay in power. 2) Avoid prosecution. 3) Exacerbate tensions with the West to rally the nationalist card but short of war. 4) Return Russia to its former status as a Super Power at the expense of the USA and Europe. 5) Pursue domestic policies that lead to a chauvinistic nationalism. 6) Fund radical fringe parties and propaganda without regard to ideology to undermine democratic institutions, democratic values, and trust in government. 7) Use the government-established, state-funded Russian Orthodox Church to provide cover for his attacks on Christians in Russia and in neighboring nations. 8) Support like minded bloody dictators like Assad to enhance Russia's geo-political power base and to provide the appearance of a Christian paladin.
It is very difficult to see what about Putin's agenda would be agreeable to an American president.
Yeah, higher and increasing church attendance in Russian is all just a Putin ruse. The real Christian civilization is in the empty churches of Western Europe and our NATO allies, where more and more comes "the most beautiful sound" to Obama's ears emanates-- the Muslim call to prayer. The antagonism and Russophobia by the neocons is due to Russia not submitting the the neocon designs on the complete subjugation of the enemies of Israel envisioned and laid out in things like Clean Break. It reached a fever pitch in around 2014 when Russia interviewed after the false flag operation ("red line") and staged chemical attack, meant to initiate Western miltary and NATO attacks against the Syrian government and military and allowing a complete jihadist overthrow of the Syrian government. After Russia stepped involvement, necons like Victoria Nuland Kagan instigated the coup in Ukraine and other crap on Russia's doorstep. Because Russian countered to protect its territorial interests, including neocon meddling on its doorstep, neocons have been hyperventilating about Russia's aggression and imperialism.
NATO has been good for fully-paid European vacations for perfumed princes, neocon aggression, and the advance of Wahhabist and Salafist Islam, whether in Libya or Kosovo.
But Russia has been on the neocon sh!t list after Putin ended the era of Russia being fleeced by Western interests in an economy set up Larry Summers and Stanley Fischer who redirected wealth to a few oligarchs simpatico with globalist interest.
Your assessment of Putin is spot on. While I think his “involvement” in our elections is way overblown, I do not for one minute believe he is our allay. You did not even mention his takeover of Crimea and part of Georgia. We can do business with Putin, but he is not to be trusted. We must strengthen NATO and our own military to show him we are not playing around. Negotiate with him from a position of strength.