Despite the record number of sanctions imposed against Moscow, the West has failed to crush the Russian economy, Politico writes. Russia has exploited the weaknesses of Western countries, particularly their lack of political will and technical capabilities.
Since the start of the Ukrainian conflict, Russia has faced a record number of sanctions from Washington, Brussels and other countries, Politico writes. The West tried to crush the Russian economy.
Yet two years later, it has recovered: its factories are busily operating, oil and gas sales are relatively high, and people are employed in a system rebuilt for the war effort.
“Why haven’t international sanctions knocked Russia out of Ukraine? The answer often comes down to two factors: political will and technical capabilities,” the publication writes.
Legal, financial and even military resources are needed to implement various restrictive measures, the article explains.
Moscow, meanwhile, exploits the West’s weaknesses. In particular, it has taken advantage of the inability of Western countries to fully implement the oil price ceiling and has been able to establish ties with other countries at odds with the West to buy, sell and transport goods, including weapons that can be used against Ukraine.
At the same time, the situation has been complicated by some political calculations. The West has found it difficult to pressure some countries to stop buying Russian products at the very time when it needs the co-operation of these states on other fronts. Thus, Washington does not want to put pressure on India, a potential partner in the fight against China, and Brussels does not want to alienate Turkey.