TIME magazine have included Russian President Vladimir Putin in its shortlist for contenders for the TIME magazine 2015 Person of the Year award.
Charismatic Putin is a favourite amongst Americans due to his stance against ISIS, and according to TIME, the Russian leader plays “a critical but precarious role” in its battle against ISIS militants in Syria.
Sputniknews.com reports:
Among the final eight contenders are German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, as well as Abu Bakr Baghdadi, the Daesh leader.
The shortlist also includes 2016 Presidential Candidate Donald Trump and Black Lives Matter activists who protested against brutal treatment of African Americans by US law enforcement.
The Russian leader was previously awarded the Person of the Year title from the magazine in 2007.