Sanctions as Self-Harm: The West’s Strategic Blind Spot in Confronting Russia

Russia has lost about $450 billion in revenue from its energy sector as a result of international sanctions, and two-thirds of the National Welfare Fund's liquid assets have already been spent.

Sanctions still don’t work

Will Rose / Greenpeace Pierre Aury explains why sanctioning Russia is not delivering results.  In January 2023, just after the European Union enacted its ninth sanctions package against Russia, we wrote: “This clearly confirms the fact that sanctions tend not to work to disrupt military operations.” After nine packages of sanctions, there was no sign of these sanctions having any impact. Fast forward to May 2025, and the EU has just enacted its…

Sanctions as Self-Harm: The West’s Strategic Blind Spot in Confronting Russia

By Ricardo Martins – New Eastern Outlook – May 28, 2025 This article critically analyzes the latest EU sanctions on Russia, arguing they are strategically flawed and economically self-destructive. Drawing from past failures, it shows how the West’s punitive measures are backfiring, hurting Europe and the U.S. more than isolating Russia. What is the New Sanctions Package About? The EU has unveiled a new sanction package targeting Russia, predomin…

EU sanctions on Russia fail to bite as energy trade booms

Despite over two years of sweeping sanctions targeting its economy, Russia continues to thrive economically-fuelled in large part by ongoing energy exports to the very countries imposing restrictions. A recent report by German tabloid Bild reveals that the European Union’s efforts to economically isolate Moscow have proven largely ineffective, raising questions over the strategic coherence and long-term viability of Brussels’ sanctions policy. A…