• slaacaa@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    If the US leadership weren’t idiots, they could have put pressure on Russia to get at least a ceasefire. Instead, they focused on bullying Ukraine.

    • tal@lemmy.today
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      8 months ago

      I don’t know how much more pressure can be applied absent direct conflict between the US and Russia, which I don’t believe the US will do.

      Almost all US-Russia trade is gone, so not much to take away in economic terms.

      https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c4621.html

      In 2021, the US imported $29.6 billion from Russia and exported $6.4 billion.

      In 2024, the US imported $3 billion (90% gone) and exported $0.5 billion to Russia (92% gone).

      It might be possible to pressure other countries not to trade with Russia via use of secondary sanctions.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_trading_partners_of_Russia

      The top party there is China (who I don’t think that we’re in a position to compel to cut off from Russia).

      There’s Belarus, which I doubt is going to be compelled to cut off trade from Russia given the state of affairs.

      The other top countries are all EU members. I mean, we could try and put pressure on them, but theoretically they should be doing this themselves.

      Like, I can understand criticism as to Trump’s interactions with Zelenskyy, but I don’t think that there’s some magic, easy-to-use lever to compel Russia that the White House has in reserve. Maybe weapon supplies to Ukraine are the most-influential left.