Putin has saved the west (probably).

There was the west happily swimming in a huge pool of its own sewage: hubris, corruption etc.

All Putin had to do was wait for the west to sink, but he was getting old and impatient.

So he starts throwing stones, shouts 'sink or swim' (expecting the west to choose the former)

But the west was unaware that it had a choice and now thinks 'hey, maybe I can swim out of this!'

Sure, the rocks are a problem, but the idea of survival has been ignited.