Wishful thinking about Russia has dominated U.S. policy circles since the collapse of the Soviet Union over 30 years ago. As Russia’s failing invasion of Ukraine drags on, Washington is at risk of repeating its mistakes. Current and former officials, together with some European leaders, continue to believe that after President Vladimir Putin’s demise, a cooperative relationship can be established and Moscow will start behaving as a responsible international player. A series of deep-rooted illusions form the core of this misguided approach.