Perhaps there was a brief time when Russia could have become a cooperative friend with the rest of Europe, but by 1999 that time had slipped by. In 1997 Alexandr Dugin had already published his book, which was probably a significant influence on Putin’s quest for power. It sets out a 21 point plan for Russia taking over power in Europe, and then expanding power and control in the rest of the world, including the United States. Read it and worry, the plan is definitely in motion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics
In the crucial year of ‘99 a series of bombings of apartment buildings which killed over 300 people provided the opportunity. Putin was able to use this to enhance his power, blame Islamists, and begin the second Chechnyan war. The FSB, Putin’s source of power, was involved in a number of questionable actions as described below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Russian_apartment_bombings#cite_note-amyknight2012-16
Yeltsin who had seemed more receptive to democratic change was suffering from poor health and alcoholism, and was yielding power to Putin. For example after a Sept. 9 bombing that killed more than 100 the article reports:
“The FSB declared the bombing a terrorist attack the following morning, 10 September 1999. That day, Vladimir Putin was due to fly to Auckland for the 1999 APEC summit; after a brief consultation with Boris Yeltsin, it was decided that the trip go ahead as planned. Yeltsin had originally intended to go himself, but reasoned to Bill Clinton that Putin would almost certainly be President himself by the year 2000, contrary to speculation over Yeltsin’s successor. Prior to his flight, Putin telephoned Clinton and claimed he had “every reason to believe” that Chechen extremists were not only behind the attacks but had links to the Al-Qaeda group which had perpetrated the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam the previous year. Putin and Clinton would have their first face-to-face meeting in Auckland the following day, and Putin flew back shortly afterward.[48]
Yeltsin ordered the search of 30,000 residential buildings in Moscow for explosives.[49] He took personal control of the investigation of the blast.[30] Putin declared 13 September a day of mourning for the victims of the attacks.[44]”
Even more deadly bombings occurred not long after, and in 2000, Putin was indeed the president. The bombings, prevented bombings, and other events made 1999 a very busy and upsetting year for Russian events. This is laid out in great detail in this Wiki article.
Very informative and the key word in your article is “Putin”.
Some people want to explain Russian behavior. What Putin has done to multiple surrounding regions are the actions of a psychopath.
Regardless of NATO, Russian speaking people, or any other “excuses”.
“Perhaps there was a brief time when Russia could have become a cooperative friend with the rest of Europe...”
This is true, and — according to Putin, himself, as he was interviewed by Tucker Carlson — that ship hasn’t entirely sailed. Granted, the political landscape would have to change greatly, but his phrasing and the overall thoughtful demeanor as he spoke about it well served to indicate that such a possibility remains.
But it’s absolutely a dead letter if Western NeoCons are permitted to set the terms; they are The Reason that relational Normalization with Russia remained incomplete between 1991 and 1999, and they will again — if abysmally stupid people give them the chance — be The Reason for failure of complete Normalization.
There are a few apocalyptic inflection points in human history, and this neocon rejection of Russian overtures to join the table of Nations in peaceful trade and mutual collaboration on other geopolitical issues is one of them; it will prove to have been fatally deterministic in the end.