She sat at the negotiating table with Vladimir Putin on behalf of the USA and studied him for a long time: the security expert Fiona Hill on the personality and psyche of the Russian president.
You have been dealing with Vladimir Putin for many years. What kind of person is he?
Putin has the image of being very focused and always well prepared, and he’s proud of that. But he is also quite convinced that he always knows everything and can adapt to changing situations. It’s easy to think of him as pragmatic because he doesn’t seem to be caught up in ideologies. That’s why many, including in Germany, thought it was easy to negotiate and do business with him. His origins are often forgotten: his KGB past shaped him.
How is this reflected in personal contact – for example in the talks with Donald Trump, which you witnessed as his adviser? How does Putin come across? Charming? Aggressive?
Both and sometimes even at the same time. You have to keep in mind that his counterpart often does not understand Russian. Much of what defines Putin is lost in translation. His way of speaking and his body language are often misinterpreted. He likes to lounge in his chair – Barack Obama called him a “sprawling boy from the back of the school desk”.
You understand Russian. How does Putin sound in direct conversation?