Thinking Ahead: Where will President Harris (if elected) and Russian President Putin find Efficacy in International Politics?
By Don Allen, Journal of A Black Teacher (2024) 
With the world waiting with bated breath to see how Vladimirovich Putin—the President of Russia—is going to treat (if elected) the first female President of the United States, their joint working process will become jam-packed with assumptions. Will Putin necessarily push the limits of tyranny, or maybe an amazing turn towards cooperation and mutual trust await us at the end? To understand the possible trajectory of this relationship, consider a few factors at play: Putin's historical approach toward U.S. leaders, what the presence of gender could mean in global politics, and the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Historically, Putin approached U.S. presidents with well-timed pragmatism and a show of muscle at times, a way of probing the boundaries of diplomatic and geopolitical relationships. His presidency has been characterized by calculated decisions that would poke the West in the eye, among them annexation of Crimea and full support of separatism in pockets of eastern Ukraine. These actions have led to strained U.S.-Russia relations, resulting in sanctions and a mutual climate of distrust. With this history, one could possibly assume that Putin may view the first female president of the United States as simply another foe to be outmaneuvered in the geopolitical chess game.
But the reality of a female president cannot be dismissed. Gender dynamics will factor into how Putin approaches this new leader, although not necessarily in ways one might expect. If at all he derided the West for playing into the idea of some form of perceived gender weakness so fundamentally rooted in outdated stereotypes; it is more likely that he will view her through the prism of her policy and resolution. Putin is a careful tactician for whom questions of power relations are more relevant than questions of gender; his actions will, therefore, likely remain guided by the very realpolitik strategy.
Still, there is room for cautious optimism. Another way in which a woman president of the United States may bring something different to the table is through an emphasis on diplomacy, negotiation, and multilateralism. She should be able to articulate a firm, cogent foreign policy that balances firmness with openness to dialogue; this could set the scene for a new chapter in U.S.-Russia relations. In that regard, we may be seeing a shift from outright antagonism to a more nuanced relationship in which domains of competition may be tempered by domains of cooperation. That's what we typically hear the working with respect to arms control, cybersecurity, or counterterrorism.
Ukraine continues to play the role of the biggest, most pivotal hotspot in this equation. Actions in Ukraine have been at the core of Putin's broader strategy to assert Russia's influence upon the post-Soviet space and, more broadly, to challenge the encroachment of the West. This puts every president of the United States in a very delicate position in terms of this conflict because he or she would try to stay on a fine line between keeping up the support of Ukraine and not engaging it in a direct confrontation with Russia. A first woman president of the United States may offer her uniquely different way of crisis management in this regard by insisting more on diplomatic channels and striving for the re-engagement of Russia into a dialogue addressing not only the symptoms but the roots of the conflict.
Ultimately, the relationship with the first female president of the U.S. will probably continue previous policy trends and change them. Most of Putin's basic objectives—preservation and augmentation of power, projection of Russian influence, opposition to Western hegemony—will not change. What will change are the means and results of arranging relations with the new chieftain of the White House, depending on her attitude to foreign policy, ability to establish alliances, and willingness to relate to Russia on an equal footing.
So, after the first female president of the U.S., there is a possibility that Putin's approach will shift from a water of tyranny to a more collaborative, mutual respect and strategic interest approach. The war in Ukraine will undoubtedly be a key issue, and the way it's managed will shape the future of U.S.-Russia relations and the larger geopolitical order. The world will be watching to see if this historic presidency indeed heralds a turning point or if it is business as usual for global matters.
With the world waiting with bated breath to see how Vladimirovich Putin—the President of Russia—is going to treat (if elected) the first female President of the United States, their joint working process will become jam-packed with assumptions. Will Putin necessarily push the limits of tyranny, or maybe an amazing turn towards cooperation and mutual trust await us at the end? To understand the possible trajectory of this relationship, consider a few factors at play: Putin's historical approach toward U.S. leaders, what the presence of gender could mean in global politics, and the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Historically, Putin approached U.S. presidents with well-timed pragmatism and a show of muscle at times, a way of probing the boundaries of diplomatic and geopolitical relationships. His presidency has been characterized by calculated decisions that would poke the West in the eye, among them annexation of Crimea and full support of separatism in pockets of eastern Ukraine. These actions have led to strained U.S.-Russia relations, resulting in sanctions and a mutual climate of distrust. With this history, one could possibly assume that Putin may view the first female president of the United States as simply another foe to be outmaneuvered in the geopolitical chess game.
But the reality of a female president cannot be dismissed. Gender dynamics will factor into how Putin approaches this new leader, although not necessarily in ways one might expect. If at all he derided the West for playing into the idea of some form of perceived gender weakness so fundamentally rooted in outdated stereotypes; it is more likely that he will view her through the prism of her policy and resolution. Putin is a careful tactician for whom questions of power relations are more relevant than questions of gender; his actions will, therefore, likely remain guided by the very realpolitik strategy.
Still, there is room for cautious optimism. Another way in which a woman president of the United States may bring something different to the table is through an emphasis on diplomacy, negotiation, and multilateralism. She should be able to articulate a firm, cogent foreign policy that balances firmness with openness to dialogue; this could set the scene for a new chapter in U.S.-Russia relations. In that regard, we may be seeing a shift from outright antagonism to a more nuanced relationship in which domains of competition may be tempered by domains of cooperation. That's what we typically hear the working with respect to arms control, cybersecurity, or counterterrorism.
Ukraine continues to play the role of the biggest, most pivotal hotspot in this equation. Actions in Ukraine have been at the core of Putin's broader strategy to assert Russia's influence upon the post-Soviet space and, more broadly, to challenge the encroachment of the West. This puts every president of the United States in a very delicate position in terms of this conflict because he or she would try to stay on a fine line between keeping up the support of Ukraine and not engaging it in a direct confrontation with Russia. A first woman president of the United States may offer her uniquely different way of crisis management in this regard by insisting more on diplomatic channels and striving for the re-engagement of Russia into a dialogue addressing not only the symptoms but the roots of the conflict.
Ultimately, the relationship with the first female president of the U.S. will probably continue previous policy trends and change them. Most of Putin's basic objectives—preservation and augmentation of power, projection of Russian influence, opposition to Western hegemony—will not change. What will change are the means and results of arranging relations with the new chieftain of the White House, depending on her attitude to foreign policy, ability to establish alliances, and willingness to relate to Russia on an equal footing.
So, after the first female president of the U.S., there is a possibility that Putin's approach will shift from a water of tyranny to a more collaborative, mutual respect and strategic interest approach. The war in Ukraine will undoubtedly be a key issue, and the way it's managed will shape the future of U.S.-Russia relations and the larger geopolitical order. The world will be watching to see if this historic presidency indeed heralds a turning point or if it is business as usual for global matters.
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