The bizarre, literal isolation of Vladimir Putin
Three weeks ago, French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to persuade Russia to de-escalate its troop buildup around Ukraine. To understate things somewhat, the meeting was unsuccessful.
The lasting legacy of the meeting, however, might be its aesthetics. For their discussion, Putin and Macron sat at opposite ends of a truly enormous table, a tiny floral arrangement at its center. For five hours, the two sat there in conversation, nearly 20 feet from one another, according to CNN.
Ostensibly, this was a function of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron was offered a Russian-administered test to ensure that he wasn’t infected with the virus, but France understandably declined to offer up his DNA. So, asked to pick between the long table and that test, the French opted for the table.
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The implication is that perhaps the table was a negotiating tactic aimed at encouraging France to consider the Russia-administered test. Or, perhaps, that someone on the Russian side was being overly cautious in interpreting the risks. Speaking to Reuters, one source familiar with the negotiations said that “the Russians told us Putin needed to be kept in a strict health bubble.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-bizarre-literal-isolation-of-vladimir-putin/ar-AAUqqWN
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He never used to be like this. He doesn't want anyone to get close to him anymore. Is he having some sort of medical treatment where he has to avoid germs of any kind? Cancer? It wouldn't surprise me. As a KGB agent I'm sure he was exposed to all sorts of nasty toxins they they used to......make tea? 
And he'd never appear in public wearing a mask. 
