Sanctions on Russia

Christian Torres3 said:Exactly how it should be.

Look, Essam, it's not even about oil production—everyone’s got the right to manage their own supply how they see fit.

It’d also be nice if we finally stopped those massive arms deals to that rogue nation—hasn't anyone mentioned that yet?
They earned that status a long time ago because of the war in Yemen, but the US administration just loves them too much for their own good.

And one more thing,
RIP NATO 🤣

wiredseal7 said:Look, Essam, it's not even about oil production—everyone’s got the right to manage their own supply how they see fit.

It’d also be nice if we finally stopped those massive arms deals to that rogue nation—hasn't anyone mentioned that yet?
They earned that status a long time ago because of the war in Yemen, but the US administration just loves them too much for their own good.

And one more thing,
RIP NATO 🤣

Exactly.

The reason you haven't seen it mentioned is because this sub-forum is specifically for the Ukraine war.

analogbear5 said:Exactly.

The reason you haven't seen it mentioned is because this sub-forum is specifically for the Ukraine war.

Yeah, I click through every other day, but I just don't catch the name.

The point stands—this thread is about sanctions on Russia. Threatening sanctions against the Saudi crew and the rest of the oil cartel falls under the umbrella of Russian-related sanctions here—since they weren't meddling so openly in OPEC decisions before—so we aren't even off-topic.

Just a reminder that Trump dodged implementing an arms embargo after the Kashoggi incident; those oil money interests were breathing down his neck, so he just waited for the heat to die down.
I wouldn't expect anything different now, because let's be real—nobody is immune to that kind of cash.

And while America does its usual thing with threats, Russian firms kicked out of the West by sanctions are just pivoting to markets like Saudi Arabia and tightening their grip:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2175786/business-economy

Great.

As far as I'm concerned, we need to treat Saudi Arabia just like Russia.

--If they ever decide to go on a conquest spree, we should crush their economy at any cost.

Ever since they started that mess in Yemen back in 2015, nobody's even blinked—meanwhile, Mohammed bin Salman and his billionaire buddies over in the West are basically getting rolled out the red carpet.

wiredseal7 said:Yeah, I click through every other day, but I just don't catch the name.

The point stands—this thread is about sanctions on Russia. Threatening sanctions against the Saudi crew and the rest of the oil cartel falls under the umbrella of Russian-related sanctions here—since they weren't meddling so openly in OPEC decisions before—so we aren't even off-topic.

Just a reminder that Trump dodged implementing an arms embargo after the Kashoggi incident; those oil money interests were breathing down his neck, so he just waited for the heat to die down.
I wouldn't expect anything different now, because let's be real—nobody is immune to that kind of cash.

And while America does its usual thing with threats, Russian firms kicked out of the West by sanctions are just pivoting to markets like Saudi Arabia and tightening their grip:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2175786/business-economy

The most ridiculous people are those who simultaneously claim the USA shouldn't interfere in global affairs, yet turn around and berate the US for not slapping hands on Saudi Arabia or some other close ally. You can't demand they stop acting like the world's policeman while also demanding they act as the world's moral compass. It doesn't work that way—the US acts in its own interest, if you haven't realized that yet. The fact that they have more skin in the game in Ukraine right now than in Yemen is a win for Ukraine. Regardless, their relationship with Saudi Arabia is fundamentally different from their relationship with Russia. The US hits Russia with sanctions, but it doesn't hit Saudi Arabia. Sure, they might be difficult allies, but they are *our* difficult allies. That doesn't mean things can't change—if Saudi Arabia stops being a useful partner, the US won't stay leaning toward them. Unlike Russia, which doesn't really have "partners"—they view everyone as vassals or protectorates to be squeezed economically and otherwise—the US protects its partners because there is massive utility in doing so. Of course, those partners need to maintain a positive relationship with the US; you can't just take—you have to contribute and be a constructive partner. We’re a long way from that now, but looking back after World War II, anyone who became a US partner ended up among the most developed nations (think South Korea, Japan, or Germany). Meanwhile, those caught under the Russians were left in poverty and are still struggling to recover today (Eastern Europe and similar regions).

I mean, if those "American partners" include places like Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, and Panama, I wouldn't even consider moving there unless someone was paying me a fortune to deal with it all.

Roger Fowler said:I mean, if those "American partners" include places like Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, and Panama, I wouldn't even consider moving there unless someone was paying me a fortune to deal with it all.

It’s highly probable that the citizens of those nations feel the exact same way about the US—another "partner"—especially when they read the news reports about how much corruption happens here. And to top it all off, a good chunk of the year, it gets damn cold over there in America.

Nancy Gomez26 said:It’s highly probable that the citizens of those nations feel the exact same way about the US—another "partner"—especially when they read the news reports about how much corruption happens here. And to top it all off, a good chunk of the year, it gets damn cold over there in America.

Maybe, though I suppose their opinions might shift if they actually set foot in the States. Then again, having traveled through Mexico (Veracruz and Pachuca), Panama (Panama City and Colon), and Colombia (Cartagena), I can tell you I wouldn't stick around there either; Colon reminds me somewhat of a war-torn American city from the early 90s—not quite as extreme, perhaps, but certainly not far off.

Roger Fowler said:Maybe, though I suppose their opinions might shift if they actually set foot in the States. Then again, having traveled through Mexico (Veracruz and Pachuca), Panama (Panama City and Colon), and Colombia (Cartagena), I can tell you I wouldn't stick around there either; Colon reminds me somewhat of a war-torn American city from the early 90s—not quite as extreme, perhaps, but certainly not far off.

You're totally exaggerating. You aren't the only one who's ever hopped on a plane and seen some stuff.

Honestly, the leadership over in the European Union is completely out of touch.

They really should have sat down and agreed to stop driving up prices by bidding against one another; instead, they should be buying gas collectively. Think of the EU acting as a single, massive buyer competing against non-EU nations for supply. That’s how you actually see savings and ensure there’s enough gas left over for the less wealthy member states—which is what this whole thing is supposed to be about, anyway. But by constantly undercutting each other in these bidding wars, we’re all still getting the gas we need, it’s just costing us an absolute fortune in the process.

The European Union is rolling out its fifth round of sanctions against Russia.
Fine.
I agree.

How many rounds of sanctions are there supposed to be in total?

Ryan Morales4 said:The European Union is rolling out its fifth round of sanctions against Russia.
Fine.
I agree.

How many rounds of sanctions are there supposed to be in total?

As many as it takes, I guess.

Word on the street is this is actually the eighth package, according to some reports. Who can even keep track anymore? Still, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Nancy Gomez26 said:As many as it takes, I guess.

Word on the street is this is actually the eighth package, according to some reports. Who can even keep track anymore? Still, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I am all for every single package they drop.
But I’ll go a step further: we need to hit those Russian millionaires and billionaires where it actually hurts. These people are loyal to Putin because he's the one who handed them their fortunes on a silver platter. It is high time we take that away from them by freezing and blocking every single one of their accounts. Whether it's holdings in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Panama, or the U.S. Virgin Islands—we need to strike at the ultra-wealthy Russians. They are the ones with enough leverage to finally stop Putin, who is clearly going to see this through to the bitter end. Taking out this madman isn't just an option; it is a absolute necessity.

Ryan Morales4 said:I am all for every single package they drop.
But I’ll go a step further: we need to hit those Russian millionaires and billionaires where it actually hurts. These people are loyal to Putin because he's the one who handed them their fortunes on a silver platter. It is high time we take that away from them by freezing and blocking every single one of their accounts. Whether it's holdings in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Panama, or the U.S. Virgin Islands—we need to strike at the ultra-wealthy Russians. They are the ones with enough leverage to finally stop Putin, who is clearly going to see this through to the bitter end. Taking out this madman isn't just an option; it is a absolute necessity.

I don't really think these measures will touch Putin at all; they'll just be busy trying to protect what they've already looted. We need to find a way to completely seize those assets through some kind of specialized financial operation—sell everything off and funnel that money directly into defending and rebuilding Ukraine. All these criminals and mobsters share the blame for what Russia has become today, just as much as Putin and his inner circle.😠😠 😠

TOTAL COLLAPSE ON THE HORIZON
Moscow won't survive these sanctions for long: 'Do you have any idea how much NATO spends on its military compared to Russia?'

https://www.nytimes.com/news/world/moscow-sanctions-impact...

Furthermore, Putin’s biggest trump card—threatening to cut off gas supplies to Europe—might just end up blowing up in his face.

LP

Sanctions aren't going to change much in Russia besides hitting their economy. People over there really despise NATO, and honestly, these sanctions might just end up fueling even more resentment.

analogmarlin4 said:Sanctions aren't going to change much in Russia besides hitting their economy. People over there really despise NATO, and honestly, these sanctions might just end up fueling even more resentment.

Their feelings don't really matter here.
The goal right now is making them harmless—and that’s exactly what sanctions do.
In a year or two, Russia will be economically crippled, which means they won't be able to sustain the war in Ukraine—or anywhere else—for at least the next 15 to 20 years.
That gives everyone else enough time to get ready to defend themselves.
Now, we can only hope they eventually realize who their actual enemy is.

casualtiger2 said:Their feelings don't really matter here.
The goal right now is making them harmless—and that’s exactly what sanctions do.
In a year or two, Russia will be economically crippled, which means they won't be able to sustain the war in Ukraine—or anywhere else—for at least the next 15 to 20 years.
That gives everyone else enough time to get ready to defend themselves.
Now, we can only hope they eventually realize who their actual enemy is.

I honestly don't care if they ever "realize" anything, as long as they are physically unable to wage conquest wars. The longer this mess in Ukraine drags on, the more likely it becomes that they'll hit that breaking point.

analogmarlin4 said:Sanctions aren't going to change much in Russia besides hitting their economy. People over there really despise NATO, and honestly, these sanctions might just end up fueling even more resentment.

I suppose sanctions won't lead to any meaningful shifts, not even on an economic level. Out of nearly 200 nations globally, only about 45 have signed on to sanction Russia. That leaves roughly 150 countries that haven't. It suggests that Russia still has plenty of places to export its oil, gas, precious metals, food, and other resources.

We’ll see the actual impact of these sanctions quite soon, probably within weeks. Of those 45 countries, 27 are part of the European Union, which includes small players like us here in America. This winter, we might witness how these sanctions end up crippling economies, manufacturing, and industry, essentially dragging everyone back a century—unless, of course, all parties decide to sit down at the negotiating table.

I’ve heard reports coming out of Germany about people scavenging fallen branches from forests just to stay warm, yet the government forbids it, as if they can't be trusted touching state-owned timber.

A government that fails to protect its own citizens is merely providing a hollow gesture toward protecting Ukraine. It all seems like games played by the military-industrial-banking complex in the USA, where we are all—including those ineffective politicians in the EU—just puppets dancing to their tune. And yes, that includes poor Ukraine as well.

If you ask me, sanctions are producing results, but it isn't Russia feeling the sting—it's us in the EU. So, I guess you should consider who the real enemy actually is....