Chinese International Relations Expert Says Western Sanctions on Russia Won’t Do Anything
Jose Nino
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International relations expert Zhang Hong claims that the latest set of sanctions on Russia won’t have much of an impact on it.
The research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences argued that sanctions on Russia will help the West “feel better for a minute,” but will only escalate tensions in Ukraine in the long term, per a report by the Global Times.
“Such impulse actions may help Western countries vent out their frustration and feel better for a minute, but it will cause more bloodshed, more sacrifice and bigger property loss as it further fuels the conflict,” he noted. Per the expert, attempts to isolate Russia internationally via sanctions have made the prospects for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine bleaker.
Li Ziguo, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, asserted that the Collective West’s sanctions were expected to not impact Russia much at all. “They are just diplomatic and symbolic gestures from the Western countries to vent out their frustrations,” he highlighted.
On February 25, 2023, the European Union imposed its 10th sanctions package on Russia, singling out 87 individuals and 34 entities. On February 24, the US Department of Commerce broadened sanctions against Russia and Belarus, specifically by introducing export restrictions. 76 Russian entities in total were blacklisted, in addition to companies from other countries.
Indeed, sanctions don’t work. For countries, existential geopolitical matters go beyond economics. Russia will only escalate its military objectives in Ukraine if the West continues imposing sanctions on it and supplying Ukraine with military aid. On top of that, Russia will pact with the likes of China to form competing geo-economic and geopolitical blocs.
It’s a new world out here with multipolarity in effect. US policymakers still have not accepted this reality. The result will be increased frustration and even humiliation on the world stage for Western nations.
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