Retired US Ambassador John J. Maresca draws on his personal papers to offer a first-hand account of his role in negotiating the end of the Cold War with the USSR. As a special American Ambassadorial envoy, he symbolically opened direct US diplomatic relations with each of the newly independent states from the former USSR following its dissolution. He recounts the situation in the region during that period, and how it has evolved into the situation of today.  Maresca analyzes Putins role and objectives, and concludes that the USA and the West in general must steadfastly oppose Putins on-going effort to re-assemble Moscows control over the full geographic scope of what was the USSR, starting with Ukraine.