The general, behind the failure of the capture of Kyiv, was sent to lead the Eastern Front

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Sir Tony Blair has argued that Vladimir Putin should be given a seat at the international “summit table” despite deep skepticism among officials about Russia’s new president, according to newly released official files.

The papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London, show that, as prime minister, Blair believed the former KGB man was intrinsically a “Russian patriot” and that it was important to encourage him to embrace Western values.

But behind-the-scenes officials feared he represented a return to old Cold War posturing and questioned whether he could be trusted.

An internal media note No. 10 from January 2001 – barely a year after Putin took power – titled “Putin’s Progress” highlighted concerns, including a resurgence of Russian spy activities.

The document lists a series of assurances that Mr. Putin made to Mr. Blair during their meetings at various international summits, which turned out to be false.

They included support for the West’s hard line in dealing with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and pledges that Moscow would stop supplying Iran’s nuclear programme.

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