Russian President is diplomacy’s bad boy

At every summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin plays the role of the "bad guy", whether he offers a shawl to the Chinese first lady or decides to skip a working breakfast to sleep longer.

Although Putin seems comfortable in that role, his advisors spend the day clarifying misunderstandings after each shoot, formal ceremony or bilateral meeting, whether in the Beijing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit or in the Brisbane G20 meeting.

It seems that any slip or "bad" gesture by Putin is a gold mine for the media, now that there are fewer and fewer charismatic leaders such as the late Hugo Chavez and Muammar Gaddafi, or former Cuban president Fidel Castro.

The image of the Russian leader has not improved after American magazine Forbes declared him the most powerful man on Earth for the second year in a row, with US President Barack Obama as a runner-up.

On the contrary, the image of Putin's strength and the apparent weakness of Obama seem to encourage critics to be even harder on the Russian leader.

In recent days, Putin was featured on magazine covers, but not for his statements on the conflict in Ukraine or his criticism of the West.

At the APEC summit in Beijing, the talk was about Putin's gesture to put a shawl on the shoulders of the Chinese First Lady, Peng Liyuan, during the gala dinner.

Media were quick to accuse him of breaking protocol and the traditions of the host country, China, known for its conservatism. They stressed that Peng was supposedly uncomfortable and had rejected Putin’s gesture.