[t0suj4]

Conservatism is relative term. It basically means "keep what we have and carefully evaluate new things".

Conservatism in the US is not what conservatism in France is. Conservatism in Mexico is not what conservatism in Brazil is.

Putin's version of conservatism, as mentioned in the article, is only applicable to Russia and countries with similar culture.

Comparing Trump to Putin is like comparing Nixon to Brezhnev.

[prox]

So when Trump is praising Putin, where does that come from? What does he admire?

[t0suj4]

I think Trump's praises may increase his chances for Putin to accept Trump's proposals. IIRC Trump wrote a book about making deals that's why I believe it.

Besides that I think that Putin made genuinely smart strategical steps to ensure that nobody will get between him and Ukraine... How it will turn out we yet have to see.

Cornering a leader with nuclear capabilities benefits nobody and can get dangerous, leaving him with nothing to lose. I think Trump wanted to use Russia to counter China.