As 2020 draws to a close one can honestly look back and proclaim it to be an outstanding year – especially if you are President Xi or Putin or the forces of chaos and polarisation where self-interest trumps hitherto enduring alliances. Xi has grabbed opportunity with both hands from the fire of potential pandemic disaster, with a markedly more muscular China emerging when it comes to geopolitics and pursuit of long held national desires. And Putin, whilst attempting to slough-off the impact of the pandemic, continues to apply internationally condemned methods of tightening his grip on power –…
