Leon Panetta Quotes

It is the natural desire of each nation to use the other as an instrument of its own purposes and policies. By dint of our mutual dependence, your influence is amplified by our power. Our power is made more responsible and more effective by your influence.

Putin goes to bed at night knowing he can break all the rules, and the West will follow all the rules.

You look at what Vladimir Putin is doing with President Obama. He's, like, toying with him. He's toying with him.

Western States keep playing with, and around, Russia.

No nation has friends only interests.

The management of a balance of power is a permanent undertaking, not an exertion that has a foreseeable end.

For the 30 years I have been involved with U. S. national security, our policy has been shaped by the assumption that we could shape other countries’ policies throughout the world. This has always been a bit of a myth.

The moment it became in the interests of one or the other of the Great Powers to alter the status quo, none of these treaty structures ever stood in the way of such alteration.

So much of our foreign policy is based on other people’s weakness.

Small countries such as Belgium would be well-advised to rally to the side of the strong if the wish to retain their independence.

Both Russia and the United States are struggling to define their proper roles in the world.

In power politics, it's usually not enough to be liked. A nation has to be considered essential.

I'm well aware of the pragmatism of politics.

It's never easy to be a small country next to a big neighbor.

Putin is very - not the smartest guy in the world.

Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has embarked on a systematic challenge to the West. The goal is to weaken the bonds between Europe and the United States and among E.U. members, undermine NATO's solidarity, and strengthen Russia's strategic position in its immediate neighborhood and beyond.

What [Russians] want to do is undermine the Western liberal order.

International relations bears more than a slight resemblance to the mafia.

Of late, attempts have been made in the USA - at a high level and in a rather cynical form - to play the "Chinese card" against the USSR. This is a shortsighted and dangerous policy.

There's a gaping difference between the United States of America and Putin's Russia.

Geopolitical interests are behind the so-called war on drugs and terrorism.

He [Vladimir Putin] will not be able to push Donald Trump around the world. Believe me.

There is no war on terrorism; it is the great game speeded up. The difference is the rampant nature of the superpower, ensuring infinite dangers for us all.

The stated objective and the mission of Vladimir Putin's Russia is to destabilize the North Atlantic Alliance.

Putin has had many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia.