I disagree totally with your claim. Making Russia a "vassal" state would have been a ton easier if the west had just helped them secure their nukes and then ignored them.

Instead the west helped Russia develop its only real asset, provided a willing market, and included Russia in several international organizations. U.S. presidents attempted several times to establish positive relations with the increasingly dictatorial putin, and only turned negative towards him as a result of his many assassinations, his crushing of Russia's free media, eliminating political opponents, brutal and deadly attacks on his neighbors.

No sane person or nation will trust the currency of either the illegitimate Chinese government or the illegitimate Russian government, both currencies are true "fiats" in that they are manipulated at the whim of dictators and are backed by no rule of law, court system, independent legislature or central bank. In tough times capital will always flee these imposters and take refuge in the Dollar, and perhaps the Euro.