The allotted period of the current Russian policy time is equal to President Obama's term of office - until January 20, 2017. It's not even that Obama is good or bad as a president. The problem is that Obama came to office to stop the wars started by the previous administration, not to start new ones. For this reason, President Obama will be the last person in the United States ready to go to war with Russia over Ukraine and Iran over Iran's nuclear program. Putin, like Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is well aware of this. The next president of the United States, regardless of whether he or she is a Republican or a Democrat, and will take a tougher position in relation to Russia, and on Iran.