Putin: the modern Machiavellian In March 2014, the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea was annexed at the request of a Machiavellian leader. A treaty signed by Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, meant that the territory would become part of Russia once finalized in January 2015. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have increased since the March treaty. It is widely contested – neither Ukraine nor the European Union recognizes its legality – but the annexation provides insight into the character of the Russian president. Putin is demonstrating several Machiavellian lines of thinking in his presidency and in the measures taken to secure Crimea. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay It is important to note the events preceding the annexation. The peninsula has had a history of Russian interference since 1783 (“Annexation of Crimea 2014”). In 1954, the Soviet Union abandoned it to become part of Ukraine, which was a Soviet republic at the time (Kramer). In 2014, Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine, “fled the capital and was stripped of his presidential powers” ​​(“Annexation of Crimea 2014”) after failing to negotiate with those who opposed him. Following the political disarray, Putin then ordered the mobilization of undercover Russian soldiers to control the (Berry) Peninsula. In the days that followed, the Crimean parliament voted in a referendum in favor of secession from Ukraine. The Ukrainian government and new President Petro Poroshenko believed that Russia's annexation was illegal and contrary to Ukraine's constitution – a claim supported by the European Union and the United States. The annexation of Crimea, controlled and orchestrated by Vladimir Putin, was, summed up in a speech to many applauding Russian statesmen, “to protect Russia's interests” (Myers and Barry). Putin's actions were decidedly Machiavellian in nature. We can now define the term "Machiavellian" as relating to the ideas found in The Prince by the Italian political writer Niccolò Machiavelli, where he enumerates the qualities of the consummate leader. The Prince gives the reader insight into the machinations behind success as a leader. These machinations define the term “Machiavellian” as the use of deception, manipulation, trickery, and disregard for moral virtue. In one case where Machiavelli's predictions proved correct, Putin was able to easily "conquer" Crimea due to his past relations with Russia; the majority of Crimea is ethnically and culturally Russian (“Annexation of Crimea 2014”). In The Prince, Machiavelli writes that when “dominions are acquired in a province which is not similar in terms of language, customs and laws,…difficulties arise” (82). Because most Crimeans shared the same language and customs with Russia, as Machiavelli would explain, "men live in peace as long as their old way of life is maintained and there is no change in customs” (81). It can be determined that Putin used this to his advantage, stating that "Crimea has always been an integral part of Russia in the hearts and minds of the people" in the speech at the Kremlin (Myers and Barry). Machiavelli goes on to discuss in Chapter V how to govern a newly acquired state. If a state is not completely destroyed and accustomed to living in freedom, it is “easier to maintain by the means of its own citizens than by any other means” (91). Putin ignores Machiavelli's advice regarding the complete destruction ofCrimea, as it would harm Russian economic interests and affect millions of ethnic Russians. Instead, Putin's power is intact thanks to the support of some Crimean citizens. In April 2014, “armed pro-Russian activists demanding a referendum…stormed and occupied a police station in Sloviansk, [vowing to] fight any Ukrainian forces sent” (Patrikarakos). Support from ethnic Russians helped secure Putin's victory in Crimea. Another Machiavellian trait in this regard is manifested in Putin's popularity among his people. Machiavelli writes: “A principality is created either by the people or by the nobility” (107). He states that “[achieving] the principality with the help of the nobility maintains it with more difficulty than one who becomes a prince with the help of the people” (108). Even though the idea of ​​nobility is somewhat archaic in modern times, that last part remains true, especially for Putin. When Putin was elected, he won with 64.7 percent of the vote (Herszenhorn). The majority of Russian voters elected him to power. However, Machiavelli writes: “He who becomes a prince with the support of the people must keep them as friends; … [what] they ask of him is that they not be oppressed” (109). In his speech to the Kremlin, Putin announced that losing Crimea in 1954 was a “historic injustice” to the Russian people (Myers and Barry). Through his use of rhetoric, Putin claimed that the annexation of Crimea would right the wrongs inflicted – a statement that was followed by "thunderous applause, standing ovations and [chanting]" (Myers and Barry) . In the eyes of the people, Putin was their liberator from oppression. This is Machiavellian in nature since Putin has strategically used this aspect to maintain his control and power as well as to gain momentum for the annexation of Crimea and boost Russian morale. Additionally, Putin displays Machiavellian aspects when it comes to deception. Machiavelli states that “[great] princes… are those who care little about keeping their promises” (133). In chapter XVIII of The Prince, he explains how manipulation and cunning are qualities that contribute to success. Machiavelli writes that when princes use these characteristics, “they end up surpassing those who founded their honesty” (133). In November 2014, an article in the London Daily Telegraph stated that British Prime Minister David Cameron was disappointed in Putin for his deception, lies and broken promises. Cameron says the Russian president "failed to keep his promise to hold a ceasefire in Ukraine" (Swinford). Putin proves that through lies and deception, generally seen as negative qualities in a leader, he protects Russia's interests in the region and continues to mobilize his troops. Furthermore, Putin refused to acknowledge the presence of undercover Russian soldiers on the Crimean peninsula. He claimed that "the heavily armed men were 'local self-defense forces'" (Chappell and Memmott). Eventually, Putin admitted that these heavily armed men were in fact Russian and told the media that "everything Russia did...was part of a humanitarian mission to protect ethnic Russians in Crimea" (Chappell and Memmott ). Under the guise of helping oppressed Russians, which is what ordinary people desire in their leader as mentioned above, Putin was able to annex valuable lands with relative international impunity and without any interference from other world powers. In Chapter XIX of The Prince, Machiavelli explains how a prince's actions can lead to despising or hating him, and Putin avoids this through the use of visual propaganda. To celebrate the,.