“By turning the blind eye to all the non-democratic, corrupt practices in Russia, as well as assisting Russian ruling elites in laundering money in Europe, Western leaders not only emboldened those who were involved in these practices, but also created a very specific image of the West among the ruling Russian elites. The latter understood their own nature well, but the evident acceptance of their dubious practices by the West informed them that Western political and business leaders were as corrupt and double-faced as they were.”