Putinversteher orPutin-Versteher (pronounced[ˈpuːtiːnfɛɐ̯ˌʃteːɐ]ⓘ, female formPutinversteherin) is a Germanneologism (Putin +verstehen), which literally translates to "Putin understander", i.e. "one who understands Putin".[1] It is apejorative reference to politicians andpundits who expressempathy toVladimir Putin and may also be translated as "Putin-Empathizer".[2] Similar words includeRusslandversteher andRussland-Versteher ("Russia-Empathizer").[3]
The term was first used in March 2014 by the German publicationsDer Spiegel andDie Welt, shortly after theannexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.Der Spiegel used the term whenDie Linke politicianSahra Wagenknecht and other party members said that the annexation of Crimea was understandable and justified, arguing that Russia's "legitimate interests in the region" must be taken into consideration.[4] That same month,Die Welt labelled some other people that, who, they view as going too far in their "understanding" of Putin. Foremost was formerSocial Democratic of Germany (SPD) leader and German chancellorGerhard Schröder, whose supporters were also irritated by his closeness to Putin.[5]
After the 2014 annexation, manyPutinverstehers "backtracked or at least stopped stating their support publicly".[6] After the start of theRussian invasion of Ukraine, they "came under increasing pressure to publicly distance themselves from Vladimir Putin amid accusations that they were bringing shame on the country and themselves."[7] TheBucha massacre in April 2022 reportedly "made that for most people the arguments typically used by Putinversteher had definitely lost their credibility".[6] By April 2022, the term had gained a different moral connotation than in March 2014. For many, "Bucha had reduced the invasion to aManichean conflict between good and evil."[8]
Putin-Versteher was among frequent suggestions for theUn-word of the year 2014; the panel of linguists favouredLügenpresse ("lying press").[9] Among the runners-up was a similar term,Russland-Versteher ("Russia-Understander").[5][10][11][12] Although the word was used in English media as early as 2014, it became an international term after the 2022 Russian invasion.[6]
A major cornerstone of "Putin-friendly" attitudes is the "legitimate interests of Russia" in thepost-Soviet states,[11] while another typical trait isanti-Americanism.[2]Putinversteher are typically politically heterogeneous and include figures across the political spectrum. Namely, businesspeople with business interests in Russia.[11][10]Paul Roderick Gregory wrote that they "serve as Putin's first line of defence against meaningfulEuropean sanctions for the Anschluss of Crimea".[2]
AcademicTaras Kuzio has criticized scholars of Russia, whom he defines asPutinversteher, in particular, their response to theRusso-Ukrainian War. In his definition, he calls these scholars "those who seek to always deflect criticism from Russian President Putin and Russia and lay blame on Ukraine, NATO, the EU, and the US."[13]
The foremost figure described asPutinversteher is Schröder; however, by March 2014, many others were mentioned.[5] One of these was presidentThomas Bach of theInternational Olympic Committee.[14] The feminist journalistAlice Schwarzer said that 96.77% of the inhabitants of Crimea wanted to belong to Russia.[15]Peter Gauweiler of theChristian Social Union in Bavaria spoke in favour of cooperation with Russia on 5 March 2014. The former European CommissionerGünter Verheugen of the SPD calledSvoboda members of the Ukrainian government "richtige Faschisten" (true fascists).[16]Alexander Gauland ofAlternative for Germany (AfD) had previously stated that Russia would never condone the loss of "Holy Kiev, birthplace of Russia". TheSahra Wagenknecht Alliance has defended the annexation of Crimea by pointing to theanti-Russian sentiment in Kyiv and repeating otherRussian propaganda.Armin Laschet of theChristian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) spoke ofAnti-Putin-Populismus (anti-Putin populism) in Germany.Gernot Erler of the SPD had called for "an end to Russia Bashing".[5][17]
Katrin Göring-Eckardt of theAlliance 90/The Greens accused Wagenknecht and The Left party of beingPutinversteher and against all foreign intervention, except when Russia did it.[citation needed] Paul Roderick Gregory described Schröder (SPD) as "the most egregiousPutinversteher". Gregory wrote that Schröder might be susceptible to Putin's pressure because he chaired the board ofNord Stream 1 with an official one million dollarhonorarium. Gregory mentioned that Schröder called to respect Russian "sensitivities" and compared theseparatism ofCrimea with that ofKosovo.[2] The term was applied to former German chancellorHelmut Schmidt of the SPD byThe Economist,Forbes, and in Schmidt's biography book. Schmidt argued that Putin's annexation of Crimea, while illegitimate, was "understandable". In an interview, he said: "If you placed yourself in Putin's shoes, you would likely react in the case of Crimea as he did."[2][10][18]
By 2022, the numbers of thePutinversteher had dwindled. In February 2022, Friederike Haupt, a political observer fromFrankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, wrote thatPutinversteher could be found primarily in the far-right AfD and The Left parties, as well as in parts of the SPD.[19] An example of a journalist who has continued to be labelled aPutinversteher isGabriele Krone-Schmalz.[20] Due to his Russia policy and attitude towards NATO.Rolf Mützenich, the leader of the Social Democratic Party in the Bundestag, has been repeatedly referred to as aPutinversteher, which he has always denied.[21]
In November 2023, the journalist and Putin-biographerHubert Seipel [de], known for his unique, personal access to Vladimir Putin, was labelled aPutinversteher after it was revealed that he had received €600,000 from Russia to write a book titledPutin’s Power: Why Europe Needs Russia via sanctioned oligarchAlexei Mordashov.[22][23][24]
Marine Le Pen and the far-rightNational Rally were consideredPutinversteher in France. In May 2014, she praised Putin as a patriot and defender of the Christian heritage of European civilization.[25] In September 2014, her party received a loan of 9 million euros from the First Czech Russian Bank based in Moscow. While not illegal, it cast doubt on her objectivity towards Putin.[26] In January 2017, she condoned the Russian annexation of Crimea.[27] On 24 March 2017, Putin officially received Le Pen in the Kremlin.[28] After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Le Pen's party hastily removed a picture of the 2017 visit to Putin from its communication material,[29] with Le Pen denying being a friend of Putin. In April 2022, party members of theEuropean Parliament broke their tradition of opposing resolutions against Russia by being absent.[27]
On the left,Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader ofLa France Insoumise (LFI), was described by some as fitting the traditional profile of aPutinversteher for some of his positions on theRusso-Ukrainian war. In March 2014, he legitimized the invasion of Crimea as "a security measure against an adventurousPutschist regime in which neo-Nazis have a despicable influence".[30] By October 2022, LFI had changed its tune and spoke of a Russian war of aggression.[31] In November 2022, LFI members of the European Parliament abstained from declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.[32]
After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the number ofPutinversteher in the Netherlands quickly diminished. As of October 2022, theForum for Democracy (FvD) was the only Dutch party still enthusiastic about Putin. As a result, theLabour Party andGroenLinks proposed to bar FvD from confidential meetings about military aid for Ukraine.Rob Bertholee, former head of the DutchGeneral Intelligence and Security Service, publicly supported this move.[33]
On 19 December 2022, members of the Golfgroep petitioned the Dutch government to promote negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The petition was signed by about two dozen university staff and some elderly ex-politicians.[34] Critics argued that the wording of the petition suggested that both sides had an equal share in causing the war and that war crimes were not mentioned.[34][35] A critic remarked about the petition that it "at least admitted that Russia had invaded Ukraine."[35]
The term was embraced in Russia, where a company namedPutinversteher sells memorabilia (rings, clothes, and the like) with Putin imagery.[36]
