Long before he became President of Russia, over a period of almost 18 months in the early 1990s, Vladimir Putin opened up to Andrew Goodman in extensive, private conversations about politics, economics and Russia’s place in the world. Unlike Putin’s numerous biographies – which have uncovered loads of facts about Putin, but very little about what he thinks – Goodman’s direct personal encounters with Putin help reveal what makes Putin tick. This presentation addresses how Putin came to power in St. Petersburg, and later in Moscow, and how he wields power.
Andrew Goodman is a retired U.S. Senior Foreign Service officer who spent over 30 years specializing in Soviet/Russian affairs. As Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg (1992–1995), his counterpart in the city government was Vladimir Putin, giving him a unique opportunity to get to know Putin personally. He has published a number of articles about Putin and has taught at Columbia University, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Mary Washington University.