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Putin's speeches on historical issues in 2019–2022: analysis of motives and addressees

https://doi.org/10.31249/poln/2023.02.02

Abstract

   The article examines speeches and articles of Vladimir Putin on history and past as political communicative acts. It begins with analysis of Putin’s visit to Poland in 2009, when he published a special article about history for the first time. It can be characterized as agonistic, oriented towards mutually respectful dialog. Every Putin’s address about past and memory in 2019–2021 had several addressees and contained important political messages. In 2019–2020 Putin tried to prevent the ongoing revision of «the Nuremberg narrative» of the WWII. He proposed dialog with the leading Western countries. He also suggested a meeting of the leaders of the UN Security Council permanent members to discuss this issue. At this time, we see an attempt to follow agonistic approach in relations with the countries of the «old» West, and highly confrontational approach towards Poland and Baltic states. The 2021 article about Ukrainian issues contains the most complete justification of irredentist approach in Russian foreign policy. It is dominated by confrontational approach to the West. To talk more precisely, Putin then addresses only the USA, and he will do it again half a year later when he would demand written guaranties on Ukraine from Washington. Agonistic approach disappears, while the antagonistic one dominates over the messages.

About the Author

A. I. Miller
European University at Saint-Petersburg
Russian Federation

Alexei Miller

Saint-Petersburg



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ISSN 1998-1775 (Print)