Frontline Season 42 Episode 3 Putin and the Presidents

In this episode of Frontline, titled "Putin and the Presidents," viewers are taken on a deep-dive investigation into the complex and often fraught relationships between Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other countries. Through interviews with world leaders, foreign policy experts, and insiders close to Putin himself, Frontline explores the various ways that the Russian government has attempted to exert influence on international affairs and the impact of those efforts on countries around the world.

The episode begins by examining Putin's rise to power in the early 2000s, following the fall of the Soviet Union. Through interviews with colleagues who worked alongside Putin during his time as a KGB agent and insights from analysts who have studied his political career, Frontline delves into the tactics Putin has used to solidify and maintain his power over the years.

From there, the episode turns to Putin's relationships with various world leaders, including the United States' Donald Trump, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Germany's Angela Merkel. Through interviews with former diplomats and foreign policy experts, Frontline explores the ways in which Putin has worked to cultivate these relationships and leverage them for his own strategic purposes.

The episode also touches on several high-profile international incidents, such as the poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK and the downing of a Malaysian Airlines flight over Ukraine in 2014. Through interviews with investigators and other experts, Frontline investigates the Russian government's potential involvement in these incidents and what they might reveal about Putin's broader foreign policy goals.

As the episode progresses, viewers get a sense of how Putin's actions have impacted relations between Russia and other countries, as well as the overall stability of the international order. Through interviews with journalists and political scientists, Frontline explores the ways in which Putin has sought to undermine democracy and destabilize alliances between countries, often using disinformation and propaganda as his tools.

Overall, "Putin and the Presidents" is a timely and deeply informative episode that sheds light on one of the most consequential geopolitical figures of our time. By examining Putin's relationships with other world leaders and looking at the ways in which his government has sought to influence international affairs, Frontline offers a nuanced and in-depth portrait of a complex and often enigmatic figure.