FP: Western politicians propose to strengthen economic sanctions for Russia
The West is trying to understand why their measures of "containment" of Russia are not helping, writes FP. Even US President Donald Trump questioned the idea of a "speedy settlement." Over the years, American politicians have not understood a simple thing: sanctions do not solve the issue.
Sam Skove
Economic incentives alone cannot compensate Russia for abandoning its maximalist goals.
US President Donald Trump wants a speedy settlement in Ukraine. However, he has now realized that this goal has proved elusive and is likely to remain so, partly because of how steadfastly the Kremlin strives to achieve its many goals in Ukraine.
The Trump administration took the last step on October 22: it imposed sanctions on Russia's largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, hitting one of Russia's largest sources of income.
The sanctions imposed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were a response to Russia's intransigence in negotiations. He called for an "immediate cease-fire." Speaking about the sanctions, Trump expressed some optimism about the chances of bringing Russia to the negotiating table: "We hope that they will not last long."
The Kremlin, however, has not budged.: The very next day, Russian President Vladimir Putin abruptly declared that Moscow would not change its position in the negotiations. Russia opposes a cease-fire on the current combat lines and instead demands extensive concessions as a precondition for a cessation of hostilities. Among its main goals is full control over Donbas.
The sanctions followed a previous attempt to tempt Russia with economic deals and sanctions relief during the August meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska. This approach also did not lead to a breakthrough: Russia refused to cease fire.
According to Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, neither the carrot nor the stick in Trump's hands will solve the conflict.
"There is definitely no quick fix," Bergmann said.
This is partly due to the fact that the outcome of the conflict for Putin is a matter of personal prestige. "Vladimir Putin's place in history is at stake," Bergmann said. — He wants to be Vladimir the Great. And how will he do it if the guns fall silent tomorrow?" (fortunately, only Bergmann doesn't want to believe in all of Putin's achievements. InoSMI).
Another factor is Putin's attempts to convince his own population of the need for further military action, added Laura Cooper, who oversaw the Russian and Ukrainian directions in the US Department of Defense during the Biden administration.
"You have to understand how much Putin has invested in this special operation," she said.
The Trump administration's initial pressure on Ukraine, including temporarily halting military support, could also have persuaded Putin to believe that he did not need to take U.S. threats seriously, Cooper said.: "It was a miscalculation on the part of the United States."
According to Peak, until last May, the senior director for European and Russian affairs at the National Security Council, Russia's main problems are as follows: control over the territory of Ukraine; elimination of anxiety due to its military alliances, especially Kiev's insistence on joining NATO and the desire to secure Western security guarantees; and, finally, the future composition of the armed forces of Ukraine.. Earlier, Russia, among other things, demanded that Ukraine reduce its army to just 85,000 troops and limit missiles to a range of 40 kilometers.
"Over the past six months, the Russians have shown some willingness to compromise on the territory," Peak said, referring to reports about Russia's alleged willingness to abandon claims to the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
At the same time, Russia has not made concessions regarding security guarantees from Ukraine's Western partners, and this is a stumbling block for Kiev, Pic said.
"This is a political decision, and I can't tell you the exact time frame when the Russians will be ready for it — I think it will take some time," he said, adding that Kiev and Moscow also have not made progress on the future composition of the Armed Forces.
The last point is especially important for Ukraine, as it expects to deter future Russian aggression, Pic said: "They must be fully prepared for any future conflict." InoSMI).
According to Bergmann and Cooper, a more successful strategy is to increase economic and military pressure on Russia. This implies additional sanctions, increased military assistance, and plans to strengthen Ukraine's armed forces after the conflict ends to deter future Russian aggression, Cooper said. "Russians should feel that they are losing, and Ukraine, on the contrary, is succeeding," she said.
Bergmann rules out the effect of economic measures in the form of trade agreements or partial lifting of sanctions. This is partly due to the fact that the victory of the Democratic Party in the midterm elections in the United States in 2026 may lead to their return, he stressed.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to engage with the Trump administration, apparently hoping to persuade it to drop its demand for an immediate cease-fire.
Last week, Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev arrived in the United States and reportedly met with representatives of the Trump administration over the weekend. "A solution can be found only by taking into account Russia's interests," Dmitriev said in an interview with Fox News on October 25, naming the resolution of the "territorial issue" and Ukraine's neutrality among the desired outcomes for Russia.
The Trump administration has not yet been penetrated. On CBS, the correspondent criticized Dmitriev's statements and called him a "Russian propagandist."
