What makes Putin tick — and how will his iron-fist rule of Russia end? Natasha Mitchell with guests

Some say Russian president Vladimir Putin is growing increasingly paranoid, as his war with Ukraine wages on. It's hard to know from the outside looking in. What makes the elusive Putin tick? How has he changed during his 26 years in power? And where will it all end? Putin's not a fan of Soviet era communism, so what's drives him? And what's his thing with Trump? Join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell with two seasoned Russia watchers at the 2026 Sorrento Writers Festival. Speakers Associate Professor Will Partlett Melbourne Law School Fellow, Centre for Public Integrity Author, Why the Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts Coauthor, The Post-Soviet as Post-Colonial and The People's Guide to the Australian Constitution. Dr Elizabeth Buchanan Senior fellow, Australian Strategic Policy Institute Co-founder and co-director of polar warfare studies at West Point Military Academy's Modern War Institute Former, Head of Research for the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea Power Centre, Department of Defence. Author, Red Arctic: Russian Strategy under Putin and So you want to own Greenland: Lessons from the Vikings to Trump. Thanks to Corrie Perkin, founding director and programmer of the Sorrento Writers Festival.