Putin has been hiding in plain sight for years – what took the west so long to act?

When the dust settles – if it settles – on this war there should be a rigorous examination of just why Putin and his actions were tolerated, and for so long, writes David Harding

His actions in Georgia, Syria, Salisbury, his elimination of opponents at home, have long revealed his true hand (AFP/Getty)

The world is on fast forward. This time last week we were still discussing whether or not Vladimir Putin would really invade Ukraine. That question has been answered in the bloodiest possible way.

What has happened in response to the Russian president’s alleged war crimes though has also been breathtaking. In just six days the war has prompted Germany to shake off its torpor towards Moscow and pledge to increase military spending and sending weapons to Ukraine. It has caused non-aligned Sweden to do the same when it comes to arms; permanently neutral Switzerland to sanction Russia; and a majority of the Finnish population to call for Nato membership.

The European Union has finally come up with something resembling a foreign policy; Hungary’s Viktor Orban seems to have realised he might have chosen a bad friend in Putin; and Paris has finally exhausted itself with talking to Moscow and instead committed itself to “all-out economic war” against Russia.