'The Colder War' Heating Up as Putin Pursues Energy Domination

Vladimir Putin's diplomatic intransigence stems from his desire to dominate the global energy trade, said Marin Katusa, author of 'The Colder War'. Katusa added that the Russian President has immense leverage over Europe due to the sheer volume of natural gas it ships there through Ukraine. He said the conflict in Ukraine will grow bloodier and the United States has no power to disrupt Putin's agenda. Moreover, Katusa said the sanctions on Russia will not dislodge Putin from power. In his view, the West's economic pressure is only strengthening Putin's domestic position while creating new alliances between Russia, China and Iran.