After four years of Western sanctions, Russia digs in for long haul
Russians have been living under Western sanctions for four years now, and they have undeniably survived.
But the debate now unfolding in Russia's parliament, and its expert community at large, seems to be no longer about how to manage the temporary burden of sanctions. Rather, it seems to be about how to adjust to permanent life without any hope of achieving broad integration with the West.
Anti-Russia sanctions appeared to be a straightforward admonition four years ago, when Russia annexed Crimea and intervened to back Ukrainian rebels in their war against the new Kiev government. The message to Moscow conveyed by the first rounds of sanctions was: Correct these specific behaviors and we'll discuss removing the sanctions. Russia, of course,
Digging in for the long haulA wider sanctions war to come?
