This image wasn’t helped by the disastrous summit with Putin in Helsinki the previous year. The concern was that Putin had compromising material on Trump — like the infamous “pee tape” — which could explain Trump’s fawning overtures toward the Russian leader. Trump seemed genuinely enamored with Putin, perhaps drawn to his aura of power and menace — traits Trump may secretly aspire to himself.At the time, Putin had ruled Russia for two decades, rebuilding its image as a great power and bolstering its military might. Russia had successfully put the West on the back foot in various international settings, from Syria to Libya and Africa, through the actions of the Wagner Group. In Ukraine, Putin had illegally annexed Crimea and militarily intervened in Donbas, continuing his efforts to destabilize the country.