Why Instability in Belarus, Khabarovsk, and Lebanon Creates Problems Putin Doesn’t Want

Political instability in Belarus, Lebanon and Khabarovsk all present shades of the same challenge for Russian president Vladimir Putin: They disrupt the status quo he prefers in parts of the world that matter to his regime’s survival. He’s not going to sit back. In Lebanon, French president Emmanuel Macron is unlikely to push beyond cosmetic reforms without American leadership. In fact, he initiated a call with Putin to discuss the matter, while the Russian embassy said that Moscow will not accept efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty. Just days ago, Putin named a new ambassador to Lebanon, but he will never admit that it is Hezbollah, the Syrian regime and other Iranian partners who have repeatedly undermined Lebanese sovereignty and fomented regional instability over the years...

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