According to the Financial Times, the EU is preparing to freeze the personal assets of both Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The EU is preparing to freeze the assets of Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov under the sanctions package being pushed through on Friday, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Foreign ministers are planning to approve the sanctions package this afternoon, along with a number of measures against Russian banks and industry, the people said.
Officially Putin does not have much in the way of assets. Will these sanctions have any bite? Or are they just for show?
Thus far, economic pressures seem rather ineffective against Putin.
Very fascinating. I'm not sure it fully understands the European mindset (and the European view of Moscow), but it's still an intriguing essay.
The emphasis on Byzantine heritage is especially useful, particularly the adoption of Orthodox Christianity, the evolution of which is almost as divergent from Roman Catholicism as early Christianity was from the nascent Rabbinical Judaism which arose after the Bar Koba revolts and the destruction of the Second Temple (effectively ending ancient priestly Judaism).
However, the peculiarities of the Russian character cut both ways. As little as Europeans understand Russia, I dare say Russians equally misunderstand Europe.
Both sides have a bad habit of viewing the peculiarities of the other side as a weakness, when the reality is it all depends on which side is successful at defining the rules of engagement. Play the game the European way and the Russian character doesn't fare well. Play the game the Russian way and the European character doesn't fare well.
Feb 25, 2022·edited Feb 25, 2022Liked by Peter Nayland Kust
...and then there's the Chinese view which is completely alien to both. BTW: Do check out some of Orlov's work. He's written extensively on the collapse of the West.
Yes, they have clearly anticipated sanctions and proceeded anyway. Counter sanctions will be painful. For example, BA has been banned from overflight in response to Aeroflot sanctions. Gas flows are surging through Ukraine today as new long-term contracts have been signed by European buyers. There will be plenty of media wailing but it appears that the most important business, commodities, will continue as usual.
When talking about the relative pain felt by civilians it appears to me that the Russian state and public are better positioned to deal with economic pain as they are used to hardship, starting from a far lower level of prosperity, have a have significant reserves set aside for this event, are energy self-sufficient, and are the closest country to being an autarky. Thoughts on that?
The gas that flowing is under existing contracts. Gazprom stopped taking new contracts on February 18.
If the EU disconnects Russia from SWIFT, the commodities flow stops.
As for the ability to endure hardship, the Russian people have for centuries displayed uncommon resilience. That said, protests against the invasion broke out in at least 55 cities across Russia almost immediately after Putin announced it.
The ability to endure and the willingness to endure are two separate things. It could prove fatal for Putin to conflate the two.
Here's a bit of irony...well, more correctly stainless-steely...the Mat Rodina statue in Kyiv: https://www.tutorialathome.in/history/rodina-mat-kiev-ukraine-leading-landmarks
Not nearly as impressive as the Mat Rodina statue in Volgograd, the world's largest:
https://lidenz.ru/the-motherland-calls/
Here is a fantastic piece by Dmitri Orlov on the 'peculiarities of the Russian character' that may offer some insight on the impact of sanctions: https://cluborlov.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/peculiarities-of-russian-national-character-2/
See especially the conclusions.
Very fascinating. I'm not sure it fully understands the European mindset (and the European view of Moscow), but it's still an intriguing essay.
The emphasis on Byzantine heritage is especially useful, particularly the adoption of Orthodox Christianity, the evolution of which is almost as divergent from Roman Catholicism as early Christianity was from the nascent Rabbinical Judaism which arose after the Bar Koba revolts and the destruction of the Second Temple (effectively ending ancient priestly Judaism).
However, the peculiarities of the Russian character cut both ways. As little as Europeans understand Russia, I dare say Russians equally misunderstand Europe.
Both sides have a bad habit of viewing the peculiarities of the other side as a weakness, when the reality is it all depends on which side is successful at defining the rules of engagement. Play the game the European way and the Russian character doesn't fare well. Play the game the Russian way and the European character doesn't fare well.
...and then there's the Chinese view which is completely alien to both. BTW: Do check out some of Orlov's work. He's written extensively on the collapse of the West.
Exactly.
And I'll definitely be looking more into Orlov's stuff.
And never the twain shall meet. ;-)) Left/right brain...alphabet/pictogram...
It is possible to find the occasional intersection. But it takes a certain willingness to look past one's own cultural conditioning.
Willingness notwithstanding, it's very difficult unless one is multilingual.
Yes, they have clearly anticipated sanctions and proceeded anyway. Counter sanctions will be painful. For example, BA has been banned from overflight in response to Aeroflot sanctions. Gas flows are surging through Ukraine today as new long-term contracts have been signed by European buyers. There will be plenty of media wailing but it appears that the most important business, commodities, will continue as usual.
When talking about the relative pain felt by civilians it appears to me that the Russian state and public are better positioned to deal with economic pain as they are used to hardship, starting from a far lower level of prosperity, have a have significant reserves set aside for this event, are energy self-sufficient, and are the closest country to being an autarky. Thoughts on that?
The gas that flowing is under existing contracts. Gazprom stopped taking new contracts on February 18.
If the EU disconnects Russia from SWIFT, the commodities flow stops.
As for the ability to endure hardship, the Russian people have for centuries displayed uncommon resilience. That said, protests against the invasion broke out in at least 55 cities across Russia almost immediately after Putin announced it.
The ability to endure and the willingness to endure are two separate things. It could prove fatal for Putin to conflate the two.