You missed Joe Biden on Cable TV? He sanctioned two Russian banks and made it hard for Russia to get loans. Now, I am waiting for Putin to cut oil production and raise natural gas prices on Europe. Russia supplies 35% of Europe's natural gas needs.
He's a psychopath. There is nothing more to understand. Watch and learn as they turn the screws on Putin until he yells uncle. He'll never see it coming. Who cares what he thinks.
In his address, Biden mentioned sanctioning two of Russia's banks...VEB and some military one, along with Russian oligarchs and Russia's sovereign debt. https://www.reuters.com/world/white-house-announce-fresh-sanctions-russia-over-ukraine-2022-02-22/ Hmmm, didn't even realize this was being planned well in advance. From about a month ago... https://www.reuters.com/world/russi...ers-if-biden-export-curbs-imposed-2022-01-29/
Well, Germany took a step in the right direction with the Nord Stream thing. Russia's current pipeline runs through Ukraine and supposedly has to pay Ukraine a ton of money per year for that right to do so. Seems Ukraine has quite a lot of leverage there with it. Unfortunately that will be kinda' bad for the EU energy prices, but great for USA LNG exports. Whoohoo(?)
USA & Europe needs to mind their own business. This stuff has nothing to do with us. It's between Russia and Ukraine. Why do we have to be the world police?
Ok I looked what the new sanctions are. Two banks were sanctioned - that is, they can't do business with the US. But they can (and will) do business with the rest of the world (in spite of what Biden said), as long as it is not through the US subsidiaries. They also still have access to SWIFT. And it is two banks - out of literally dozens available to Putin to operate through. Three individuals were sanctioned - no indication whether any of them have accounts or property in the US. If they don't, those sanctions don't mean much. And five ships were sanctioned - which means they cannot come into any US port. That's it? Russians are laughing.
Not like Russia is helpless and unable to respond in kind? Putin will raise the price of natural gas and oil. If he needs to cut oil production, he will. Also, the US bought oil from Russia so, they might opt not to sell the US oil. High oil and natural gas prices will hurt the US and Europe and fan inflation even higher.
I think Putin's Generals are waiting for the dry season in Ukraine around May time frame. for the time being, Putin is going to pull some stuns here and there, so its effect wouldn't be shocking when the invasion time comes. then Ukraine would need to shoot rockets and bomb Moscow and Kremlin